Through Sickness and Through Hell
by butterisbetter
Summary: What if Elphaba had given up after Fiyero's death? Two years after she believes Fiyero is killed, Elphaba is living in a cramped cell in Southstairs with no one to tell her story to. Until now. AU. Fiyeraba
1. Wicked Witch

**A/N: After an extremely long hiatus from the FF world, I return and I bring this story as a gift to all of you. For those of you wondering about Wicked Fashion Show!, check my profile for the sad and slightly disappointing news. But in the meantime, enjoy this story!**

**PS: I know this chapter is heavy in original character backstory and such, but if you stick with it, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much this story ISN'T about Anya. I hope that you give it a shot!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Wicked. I do, however, own Anya and all that her character entails.**

"But…but I didn't do anything!" Anya yelled as she was thrown unceremoniously into the cell.

The guard ignored her and closed the door, locking it with a decisive _click_. Anya retreated to the wall furthest from the door and crumpled to the floor. Her tears flowed with abandon as she repeated, almost as a mantra, "I didn't do anything."

The moonlight crashed in through the only window in the cell and illuminated a strip of dirty floor that extended from where Anya sat to the door. Anya hiccupped as she attempted to calm her sobs. Crying would do her no good here. The stone floor was cold and rough, and she moved in an attempt to make herself more comfortable.

Once her tears had, for the most part, subsided, she rose and crossed the short distance to the door. There was a tiny barred window near the top of the door where she could just barely see the rest of the jail. Her arms reached up, as if with a mind of their own. She grabbed the bars and shook the door angrily.

"Excuse me! Hello? There's been some kind of mistake! I haven't done anything wrong!"

A cackle that came from inside the cell startled Anya so badly that she fell to the ground by the door. "Who—who's there?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"It doesn't matter much whether you deserve to be here or not," the voice said steadily. It was a woman's voice, rich and full of life. She spoke low and with much so much bitterness Anya could practically taste it in the air.

"Where are you?" Anya asked. She squinted her eyes and peered into the darkness in the direction she assumed the voice was coming from.

"Why are you here?" the voice asked, ignoring her question.

Anya bristled. She had done nothing to deserve being thrown in Southstairs. Anya, a girl from the lower third quarter, had a job as a maid for a wealthy family in the first quarter. She had worked for this family for more than a year and enjoyed her work. There was a man, about forty, his wife, who was quite a bit younger than him, and their two kids.

Every day, Anya would rise from her cot and kiss her lover, who, inevitably, was always awake before she was. He had a job as a tailor for the Animals, a risky job in the days under the Wizard. He conducted his business in the back allies, which he constantly joked about.

"It's as if I have some extremely dangerous job where transactions must occur in secret places. I feel like a spy," he would say with a smile, tracing her responding smile with his thumb.

Despite their struggles with the government and with money, they lived somewhat comfortably and even happily. They were young and in love—they could have survived anything together and been happy as long as they remained together.

"Thick and thin," he would whisper to her in the middle of the night when she clung to him with a childlike need.

But all crumbled apart one day, as things seem to do. Anya rose and kissed her lover, as normal. She left for work in an especially good mood, having discussed with him their future together. They had decided to finally risk having a marriage ceremony and starting a family together. She smiled as she thought of it.

When she arrived at the house of her employers, she knew that something was wrong. The air felt rotten, as if there was something dead nearby. She noticed the Gale Force officers standing on either side of the stairs leading to the house.

Anya climbed the steps anxiously, not knowing what to expect. The children were crying on the porch, tear streaks covering their tiny faces. The door was slightly ajar, and she pushed it open tentatively. She saw blood immediately, and her vision swam. She clutched the jam of the door for support.

"That's her!" A woman's shrill voice called, and before Anya knew it, she was handcuffed and dragged out of the house, her heels scraping the pavement.

She fought and argued, asking repeatedly why she was being arrested. The guards ignored her, their stony expressions not even showing an ounce of sympathy. She was thrown into the back of a carriage and was brought to, of all places, the palace. Confused did not begin to explain her emotions as she was escorted through the sparkling walls of the Wizard's palace.

And then she was in front of the man. He was smaller than she had expected, and her stomach twisted with hatred. This was the very man that had prevented her lover from conducting a proper business, the man who had denied the Animals the rights that they deserved, and the man who had made her life into what it was. She fought the desire to spit in his face as he described in his venomous voice why she was being thrown in jail.

Apparently, the wife who she worked for went crazy with jealousy during the night when she had found letters addressed to her husband from a lover. The neighbors heard shouts and then screams and alerted the Gale Force. The Wizard didn't let on to the specifics, but he mentioned how important the family was to himself personally. Anya had been blamed for the disruption. Anya didn't know what the disruption entailed, but he banished her to Southstairs without so much as a second breath.

And now here she sat. She rubbed her hands together in an attempt to create some heat. She peered into the darkness, searching for the voice that she only hoped would be friendly. Her face was streaked with dirt and tears, and her clothes were torn and in disarray.

"Well?" the voice asked, and Anya realized that she had been lost in her thoughts and hadn't answered the woman's question. Her eyes flicked to the right as they caught movement and then rustling in the shadows. "Don't just sit there shivering. Put this on." The woman tossed a shawl in her direction. Anya put in on greedily and noticed that it was already warm. The woman had apparently given up her own shawl just so Anya could get warm.

Waves of gratitude flowed from Anya to the mysterious figure, and the corner of her mouth rose almost imperceptibly. She wouldn't, couldn't smile. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You must be quite the revolutionary if the Wizard thought it fit to send you here," the voice said, practically spitting with malice.

"Not even," Anya said. She told a limited version of her story, not quite trusting the woman yet.

The woman inhaled sharply as Anya told the most horrifying parts of her story. Anya could feel the woman's eyes on her, watching her as she relayed the most terrible event of her life. Finally, Anya finished, silent tears running down her cheeks. The horror was too fresh for her to be even a little callous about what had happened. She wasn't so jaded yet.

"He really will use any excuse to ruin someone, won't he? But what I don't understand is why he would choose you. Why frame you? Why send you here? It doesn't quite add up," the woman said suspiciously. She sighed though, letting it go for now, and Anya could practically feel her weariness. "I suppose that is a question that not even I can begin to understand. The Wizard works in his own ridiculous way, and sane people have no way of understanding that."

Anya took a breath and wrapped the shawl tighter around her small frame. "What is your name?"

The corner where the voice was coming from was quiet for quite some time. Finally, the woman answered. "Is it important? Let's just say you'd know me if you could see me," the woman said almost bitterly.

"So you must be important, then," Anya said. The people thrown in Southstairs were generally there for committing a crime against the Wizard. If this woman was so sure that Anya would know who she was, then she must have been a pretty important part of some sort of movement against the Wiard.

"I suppose you could say that. I was important, at least. Or so I thought." The voice became silent again, and Anya envisioned the woman deep in thought.

"Why are you here?" Anya asked after a considerable silence. The moon was high in the sky now, and there was more light illuminating the room. She could faintly make out the tips of what appeared to be heavy men's boots.

The figure sighed and shuffled. Anya thought she caught a glimpse of skin as the woman rearranged her skirt over her legs. Something wasn't quite right with the skin, though. The woman rose slowly, as if she hadn't moved in a very long time. She took one step into the moonlight, then another, until she was sitting directly across from Anya. Anya had to suppress her scream when she realized she was sharing a cell with the infamous Wicked Witch of the West.


	2. Rocky Start

**A/N: Sorry for the name change, guys! I noticed that another story on the site had a similar name, and, to avoid confusion, I went ahead and changed the name of mine. I struggled for a long time with a name for this, but I guess this one will have to do. Enjoy!**

**(And for those of you who have this story on alert, sorry for the unnecessary emails. It took me a minute to get the chapters and everything arranged)**

"I think you can guess why I'm here now," the Witch said ruefully.

"Y-yes," Anya stuttered. She didn't know whether to be terrified or excited. Her lover had often talked excitedly about a green witch who, it was rumored, helped the Animals.

_"She's marvelous!" he would exclaim, showing her a picture of the Witch that had appeared in the paper. The picture was grainy, but the paper had printed it in color to show that she was, in fact, green._

_ "Why? She's a terrorist, isn't she?"_

_ He frowned. "She fights for those who can't fight for themselves, Anya. For the Animals. For civil rights. How is that terrorism?"_

"Are you scared?" the Witch asked.

"I'm not sure yet," Anya answered truthfully.

"You shouldn't be. I'm not the woman they make me out to be in the papers, I assure you. The Wizard…embellishes," she finished, almost sneering.

She wasn't as ugly as everyone had claimed. In fact, she was rather beautiful. Her green skin seemed to glow in the moonlight, and her black hair, while disheveled, was simply breathtaking. It cascaded down her back in enormous volume, and some of it framed her angular face. Her eyes—Anya couldn't quite make out the color of them—glowed with life and with a terrible sadness that was so deep that Anya was afraid it would engulf her if she looked into them for too long. Her lips were a deeper green which, when pulled back in a smile, revealed startling white teeth.

"How…how are you here? I thought you could destroy a dozen men with a flick of your finger." Anya glanced with wonder at the woman. She was so tiny. Anya couldn't even imagine the woman being capable of any of the many atrocities the Wizard had accused her of. She looked so fragile.

The Witch cackled. "My dear girl, I assure you that I have no such power. Your Wizard has lied to you. I am no more powerful than a leaf in the wind."

"Well then why does the Wizard fear you so much?"

The Witch sighed, and her brows knitted together. "Because I defied him. Because I wasn't afraid to fight him."

"So…how did you get captured?"

The Witch smiled unexpectedly, and Anya was taken aback by the sheer beauty of it. The woman couldn't have been more than 25, a thought that shocked Anya. How could someone so young cause so much trouble for a government powerful enough to extinguish the rights of the Animals?

"I suppose you are going to make me tell the story after all." The green woman looked at her fingernails absentmindedly, almost shyly. "Perhaps then your own imprisonment will make more sense. I have my suspicions about why you are here, but that, my dear, will have to wait. I'll have to start at the beginning if any of this is to make sense."

"The beginning of what?" Anya asked, completely confused at this point.

"The beginning of what made me what I am now. I have been stuck in here for far too long, I have nearly forgotten the story myself. I need to tell it someone before it's gone completely. Then, perhaps, you can learn something about the Wizard, about this government, about the propaganda the Wizard produces. Once you are released, you can tell the world."

"You are so sure of my release?"

"I am, dear girl, I am. I, however, will gladly never see the outside of this cell again. I don't think I could bear being in the world…not now."

The green woman suddenly became so sad that a torrent of regret, bitterness, and anguish seemed to flow from her. Her eyes opened up and released these emotions right into Anya's own wide eyes. Anya suddenly felt her heart constrict with unspoken pain. She sensed that the woman in front of her had much to say and that she needed to say it in order to survive. It was a miracle the Witch had carried such a burden until now. Anya sensed that whatever it was had been on the Witch's mind for quite some time and had nearly eaten away what was left of her.

"Why?"

"What is your name?" the Witch asked suddenly.

"Anya," she said, not hesitating. She was beginning to trust the woman, despite her initial feeling of distrust and fear.

"Mine is Elphaba. I suppose that's a good a place as any to start." She crossed her legs and intertwined her fingers, resting her hands in her lap. "I was born in Munchkinland nearly twenty six years ago. My title, which meant so much to my sister, was the Thropp Third Descending. But my father was never happy with me…"

* * *

Little Elphaba Thropp scooped up a pile of dirt in her small hands and sprinkled it over her sister's head. She was five, and Nessarose was two. The younger girl began to cry as the elder giggled mischievously. She was bending down to scoop up more dirt when her father rushed to Nessa's side.

"What is it darling?" he asked, his voice gentle. When he saw the dirt in her dark hair, he glanced furiously at Elphaba. "Elphaba!" he growled. Nessa sobbed harder, and Elphaba glanced up from the dirt sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," she whispered.

He slapped her once, hard, across the cheek. Her small body fell to the ground with a slight _thud_, the dust swirling around her body. She began to sob loudly, complaining of the stinging of her cheek. She continued to apologize and sob as she wiped her nose, the snot mixing with the dirt and creating an ugly, oozing spot on her hand.

"Shut up," he father said fiercely as he grabbed Nessa from her chair and carried her to the bath.

* * *

The Witch shivers as she tells of her first memory of her father. Anya feels guilty about wearing the woman's sweater and attempts to give it back, but Elphaba refuses. She keeps shivering as she continues telling about her childhood, her teeth chattering almost imperceptibly.

* * *

Elphaba is now ten. She is running quickly through thick fields of wheat. Her dark hair, beautiful even then, flows behind her in the wind. She stops when she reaches the edge of a lake, doubling over and breathing heavily from the exertion her body had undergone.

Her father had been in one of his furies again and had nearly struck her with a candleholder. He had discovered that she had gone into his study. She had been preoccupied with a story that was floating around in her head. She had snuck into her father's study and had taken several sheets of paper and a quill pen. She had then retreated outside and sat under her favorite tree. The words flowed from her mind onto the paper, almost as if the quill were an extension of her hand. She lost track of the time, and by the time her father had stalked outside with that awful expression on his face, it was too late.

"Daddy, don't!" Nessa pleaded, but Frex hurled the candleholder in Elphaba's direction anyway. Elphaba barely missed the flying metal and turned to flee. Frex, not being much of an athlete, couldn't even get close to her.

As her heart began to settle, she stared out at the water. It seemed so calm on the surface, but she knew that in its depths there was movement and chaos and life. That was how Elphaba felt.

* * *

The Witch paused again when she heard a guard's heavy footfall on the stairs leading to their cell. She placed her finger to her lips and moved stealthily back into the shadows. Anya looked after her, confused, but stayed quiet anyway.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the soldier exited their section of the prison, and they were left alone again. Elphaba emerged from the shadows and resumed her position in front of Anya. Anya gave her a confused look, and the Witch explained.

"I hate when they do rounds. They usually like to come torment me, but they can't torment what they can't see, can they? Besides, I don't think I'd like for some power hungry soldier to hear my story. They'd have too much fun with that," Elphaba finished, bitterness lacing her voice and giving it an edge of pain.

"I'm sorry," Anya offered, feeling more sympathy for this woman than she had ever thought possible.

The green woman shrugged. "It is as things are. I have tried to change them my whole life. I'm afraid such things can't be changed. People will always find someone to take advantage of, someone to discriminate against and exploit. It just so happens that the green girl was always an easy target, and mankind generally isn't very creative. Being different is an automatic reason for ridicule."

Anya nodded her agreement, wide-eyed. It was as if Elphaba were speaking of her own life. Her lover was different, a man from the Vinkus, which meant his skin was dark. Since she was from the Gillikin, which produced mainly peach skinned children, their relationship wasn't necessarily welcomed with open arms by the majority of the population of the Emerald City. That was why he was so sympathetic to the Animals' issues.

_ "We face the same problem, Anya," he would say. "We can't get married; we can't have a family. The only other beings who understand such discrimination are the Animals. Their fight is our fight."_

"Anya?" Elphaba asked.

Anya snapped back to the present. Tears threatened to spill as she thought of her lover. She wiped at them sadly and covered her face with her hands. Elphaba reached out tentatively and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. They sat like that for a long time, the changing light in the room the only indication that time was passing at all.


	3. University

**A/N: A huge thanks to those who have read this story. I have been writing furiously, trying to get all of my ideas on paper before they fly out of my head. I'm very excited about where this story is taking me, and I hope you'll go on the ride with me :)**

"I was thirteen when I decided that I would go away to university," Elphaba continued her story just before dawn.

The sky was outside was beginning to lighten, and the cell was losing more and more of the shadows. Anya could see the green woman quite clearly now. She was wearing an intricate, faded black dress that was ripped in random places, indicative of some sort of struggle. Her hair was tangled, especially at the ends. It looked as though she hadn't eaten in days, and every so often she would sway, showing her weakened state. Whenever that happened, though, she would always close her eyes, take a deep breath, and continue with her story.

* * *

Elphaba, now thirteen, poured over her schoolbooks by the candlelight. She sat at an old wooden desk, in a chair that was scooted as close to the desk as was possible. She read vigorously, almost as if she were in a race to finish. Every now and then she would scribble notes on the parchment to her left.

Studying was the only joy that she had in her life. She would lose herself in her books, studying everything from geometry to the history of the Vinkus. Everything had a meaning to her, and, to her, everything was connected.

It was during one of her study sessions that she decided she would go away to university. Her father couldn't refuse; after all, he had wanted nothing to do with her for as long as she could remember. University seemed to be the answer to everything. She would get to continue studying, and he would get to finally be rid of her.

The next morning, while she was helping Nessa eat her breakfast, Elphaba decided to broach the topic with her father. As soon as he had heard what she wanted, he shook his head.

"I cannot send my green…daughter to a university full of normal, important future leaders. Munchkinland will be the laughingstock of Oz."

Elphaba didn't fail to notice how he hesitated to call her his daughter, or how he had implied that she would never become the ruler of Munchkinland, as was her birthright. She stuck out her chin and looked at him defiantly. He sat reading the paper from the Emerald City. He was so focused on the words that his brow furrowed and he didn't notice his daughter staring at him intently. When he finally looked up, he jumped, startled by her focus.

"Elphaba! Go upstairs!" he bellowed.

"Why can't I go to university?" she asked, wishing to know his reasons before she formulated her argument against him.

"You will stay here until you are, Unnamed God willing, married off to some poor fellow. What need would you have for an education? Your husband wouldn't want a wife who thinks that she knows more than him."

Elphaba, even at the tender age of thirteen, knew that that was not the direction she wanted her life to go. She wouldn't be just some man's wife. She would do something with her life. She would change the world.

"Father, I am the Third Thropp Descending, correct?" she asked confidently. She knew the answer to that question, but she wanted to hear him admit it.

He sighed. "We've talked of this. As soon as you reach eighteen, you will sign your title over to your sister. She's better equipped for politics, anyway. I think the people will respond better to her."

"I will not," she answered. "I refuse."

He stood up angrily and raised his fist. He wanted to strike her so badly, and Elphaba knew that. The only thing that saved her from getting a beating with Nessa.

"Daddy, no," the little girl said, almost mechanically. It was as if she had seen a scene like this far too often.

Frex slowly lowered his fist and sat down again. He picked up the paper and opened it, burying his nose in it once again. Elphaba, not one to be easily dissuaded, waited patiently.

He looked up eventually and caught her staring. He sighed. "What, Elphaba?"

"I'll make a deal with you," she said, her mind, even then, finding a way to make what she wanted to happen come to fruition.

He set down his paper again, looking almost amused. "Do tell," he said smugly.

"I will sign over my title to Nessa," she began, "_if_ you allow me to attend university. If not, I will remain here and claim my title when the time arises."

Frex sighed. Elphaba could tell that he was honestly considering her proposition. He wanted Nessa to become Governor so badly that he could practically taste it. Finally, he answered.

"What university will you go to?"

Elphaba smiled, a rarity in the household. So rare, in fact, that Frex was nearly caught off guard by her beauty. She looked too much like Melena for his comfort.

"I'll go to…" she thought hurriedly, trying to think of a university. "Shiz," she said finally, decisively. She had heard a boy in her class mention it once. Boq, she believed his name was. Perhaps they would go together.

* * *

"Well?" Anya asked when Elphaba stopped her story. "Did you go?"

Elphaba rose from her spot and stretched her sore muscles. Anya observed how small the woman really was. Anya was nearly as tall as the Witch. The green woman was so thin that she was almost all bones and angles.

"Later, my sweet," Elphaba answered. "It is nearly time for breakfast. We'll talk again later. Rest now; you've had a long day."

Anya, almost as if on cue, yawned. She hadn't slept for more than 24 hours, and she could feel her eyes bulging from lack of sleep and the tears that continued to well there from time to time. She stood and crossed to her side of the cell. The green woman was already curled on her own dirty mattress, her chest rising and falling rhythmically with sleep. Anya crossed the cell and draped the woman's shawl over her tiny body, knowing that Elphaba would need it more than she would.


	4. Broken

**A/N: A teeny, tiny update for you because this chapter happened to be short. This chapter is rather dark, so proceed with caution. I hope to have another update for you in a day or so.**

The guards marched down the stairs and lined up outside of the women's cell. The Captain, a burly man with a thick mustache and a cigarette always burning between his lips, held the keys and opened the door cautiously. The women remained oblivious to this invasion and continued to sleep peacefully. The Captain and his men filed in. The Captain stood over Elphaba's mattress and sneered while his lieutenant went to Anya's side.

Suddenly the cell erupted in noise as one of the soldiers rang a bell and another yelled "Breakfast!"

Elphaba and Anya startled awake. Anya could hardly see Elphaba because there were so many soldiers in their cell. She saw the green woman jerk awake and sit up quickly. She saw the woman's face fall, saw the look of disgust and resignation there, saw her arms quickly cross to cover her frail body.

"I'll take this one," the Captain said, grabbing Elphaba by the arm and pulling her up forcefully.

"Miss," the lieutenant said to Anya. Anya rose without complaint and watched Elphaba intently. Elphaba looked in her direction and locked eyes with her. Brown—now that it was light she could see that Elphaba's eyes were a deep shade of brown—eyes burned into her own, and Anya could see sadness and defiance in them. It seemed as though Elphaba looked at her for minutes, but it couldn't have been more than a few seconds before she was dragged from the cell.

"Elphaba?" Anya whispered as the green woman kicked and screamed the whole way out.

The Captain slapped her once, twice, and then they were around the corner and Anya couldn't see them anymore. She could still hear the screaming, the sound of which would stay with her for the rest of her life. It was terrible, frightening, and bloodcurdling. Anya's feelings were magnified, though, when the screaming suddenly stopped.

"What is he doing to her?" Anya wondered out loud.

"Quiet," the lieutenant commanded softly, handing her food that resembled gravy. "Eat this and don't ask questions."

She did as he said, sitting on the cold floor and keeping her eyes trained on the door, waiting, wishing for Elphaba's return. The soldiers filed out of the cell one by one, presumably to check on the Captain, until it was only the lieutenant and Anya left in the cell. She had nearly finished her gravy when the lieutenant spoke up.

"What are you here for?" he asked. She met his gaze and found it to be kind and warm. What was a man like this doing as a lieutenant in Southstairs?

"I-I don't know," she answered truthfully.

He nodded thoughtfully. He jerked his head toward the door. "How do you know her name?"

Anya immediately clammed up. Why was this man curious about Elphaba? Was he being nice to her only to find out something about the green woman that she wouldn't want to be known?

He grinned, understanding her reluctance. "I get it. But I'm her friend. Avaric's the name," he said, stretching out his hand.

"Anya," she replied, hesitantly taking his extended hand. "How do you know her?" she asked unashamedly. She needed to know if he could be trusted. "And why haven't you freed her yet?"

His expression turned serious then. "I've tried. Trust me, I've tried. She refuses. So here I stay, unable to watch what those…monsters do to her," he spat, gesturing toward the other soldiers. "Yet I'm unable to leave. I have to make sure that she at least eats, that she lives. I don't think Fiyero would forgive me if I let her die in this cell. I have to get her out somehow." He looked down at his boots, his expression cloudy.

Anya tried to keep up. She didn't know that much about the green woman yet, so it was difficult to understand the significance of what Avaric was saying to her. But she was intrigued and wondered why Elphaba could possibly want to stay in Southstairs. She was getting ready to ask Avaric when she heard a commotion just outside the door. Avaric swiveled quickly on his heel and stood at attention as Elphaba's body was dragged back into the cell.

She was bleeding, and drops of her blood dripped to the floor as the soldier heaved her onto her mattress. She was unconscious, and her arm flipped limply off of the mattress. Anya's stomach turned, and she thought for a moment that she might vomit. The Captain was nowhere to be seen, she noticed. She wondered what had happened to Elphaba and then thought if she would want to know or not.

The soldier left the cell, and Avaric followed, glancing at Anya significantly before he closed the door, as if to say, "Take care of her."


	5. Shiz

**A/N: First, I want to thank everyone for the response I've been getting to this story. I love each and every review that you guys write to me (even if I don't get a chance to respond). I'm glad you guys are going on this journey with me!**

** Also, I just want to warn you guys that it will probably be more than a couple of days until my next update. Things are going to be crazy around here for about the next week or so. I should update again after that (if not sooner). Enjoy!**

Anya ran her hands under the dirty water of the cell, happy to rinse them of Elphaba's blood. Some of it had dried, and she scrubbed at it vigorously, willing it and this horrid time in her life to disappear. She glanced over at her cellmate, who was drowsily attempting to feed herself.

Elphaba had awoken not long after the guards had left and had immediately asked for Fiyero. When she saw Anya, though, her eyes cleared, and she seemed to realize where she was and what had happened.

"Anya," she had whispered weakly, so very weakly.

Anya had immediately given her water and the food. She tended to her wounds the best she could, ripping pieces of cloth from her skirt in order to wrap them around Elphaba's injuries. She had ignored the blood that trickled on her own hands, intent on helping Elphaba.

A tear slipped from her eye as she scrubbed her hands. How could this have happened? How could she have ended up here? Why? And why was Elphaba here? Why wouldn't she leave with Avaric? These questions swirled in her mind as her tears fell and combined with the water rushing over her hands.

She heard the bowl clink to the ground then, and she turned quickly. Elphaba sat there limply, but her eyes were opened and focused on the window. The birds chirped outside, and a slight breeze blew into their room. Elphaba closed her eyes and whispered something under her breath. It was too faint for Anya to hear, but it seemed to make Elphaba feel better. Anya hoped that it was some sort of spell to heal her wounds. Surely at least that part was true about the Witch. Surely she could do some magic.

Anya dried her hands on her skirt and crossed the cell in order to kneel in front of Elphaba. She took the green woman's hands and squeezed. They sat like that for a while, companions bound by their suffering.

Eventually Elphaba moved and lay back down on her mattress. She stayed like that for the rest of the day, her eyes lifted to the window, her mouth moving from time to time.

Lunch and dinner were served unceremoniously by a young soldier. There was no uproar like there was that morning, and Anya wondered what that event was all about.

The sun passed through the sky, and the shadows eventually enveloped the cell again. Elphaba began to stir just as the moon began to rise. She crossed to the water basin and drank greedily. She then sat in the corner that she had the previous night.

"Elphaba?" Anya asked.

"Hmm?" the green woman replied, obviously distracted by something. Anya couldn't quite make out where Elphaba was anymore.

"Are you okay?"

"I am," was all the answer Anya received.

The night stretched on, and Anya began to wonder if the Witch would talk to her at all that night. After all, she must be exhausted and hurting. Again, Anya wondered why Elphaba wouldn't leave with Avaric. What could possibly be her reason for staying?

Just as Anya was beginning to go crazy with the silence, Elphaba rose and stumbled over to Anya's mattress. She tumbled onto it clumsily and apologized. Anya merely ripped more pieces of cloth and changed the woman's bandages.

"No sense in doing that," Elphaba said, wincing as Anya peeled one of the bandages off. "They'll just reopen in a few days."

"That happens often?" Anya asked, horrified.

"Not to you, my sweet," Elphaba said, nearly smiling. Anya couldn't believe her resilience. After all of that she could still smile. "The Captain likes to brag that he can fight the Wicked Witch of the West. It's not much of a fight though. I never was a fighter like that. I left that to those who were good at it." Here, her voice was wistful, and Anya wondered what the woman was thinking of.

Anya finished replacing the bandages and walked to the washbasin in order to wash the dirty cloths. She hung them off of the basin to dry and sat back down next to Elphaba.

"Shall we continue?" Elphaba asked.

"What?"

"My story. Shall we continue?"

Anya was taken aback. Because of the horror of the day, she had forgotten about Elphaba's obsession and need to tell her story. She nodded, and Elphaba took a deep breath.

"I did end up going to Shiz," she smiled. "It was one of the best times in my life…"

Elphaba stepped off the train, her head held high. She carried a bag in one hand and straightened her frock with the other. Her lips tilted in a satisfied half-smile as she made her way through the crowd. She, of course, garnered many stares, but she ignored them and was resolved to be happy. She was finally here, and, no matter what, no one could take that away from her.

She picked up her second bag from the carrier and dragged it outside where she attempted to procure a carriage. She approached four different carriages; all four turned her away.

"We have no use for yer kind here," one of them said to her.

"What kind is that?" Elphaba spat, angry by this time.

"Witches," he whispered. He glanced behind him superstitiously and quickly drove his carriage down the road.

Elphaba was taken aback. Why would he assume that she was a witch? Was it her color? Most of the time, when people made comments about her color, they asked whether she had been dropped in the wash with color powders when she was a baby. The folks in Munchkinland were not an extremely bright bunch. But a witch? Elphaba was fairly certain that she didn't have an ounce of magic in her body.

She grabbed her bags and dragged them across the dusty road. She had to ask directions several times before someone finally pointed her in the direction of Shiz. She quickly and bitterly surmised that the people here were too suspicious to be of any use.

And so, with a resolve that even in retrospect made her proud, she trudged along for most of the day, dragging her wretched bags behind her and cursing the town the whole way. Finally, after much struggle, when the dirt had mixed with the sweat on her brow to create a dirty and altogether disheveled look, she arrived at the gate of Shiz University. She sighed pleasantly and walked through the wrought iron gate.

_ "A gate I snuck in and out of too many times to remember," the Witch confided to Anya, her lips upturned mischievously. _

Elphaba marched straight to the lecture hall, all too aware of her tardiness. The induction ceremony would have already begun by now. Elphaba hoped that she wouldn't make too much of a commotion. To her chagrin, she happened to open the door in the moment when the student body was deathly quiet. She didn't know what they were doing, but as soon as she walked in, the door creaking shut loudly behind her, the student body erupted in laughter and barely quieted whispers.

"Who is _she_?" a girl said maliciously.

"_What_ is she?" her companion asked.

"Whoa! Look at her skin! Looks like mud and grass!" a boy yelled to his friends.

Elphaba struggled with her bags, dragging them uselessly behind her until she found a seat. The other people in that row immediately rose, not wanting to sit by the newcomer. Elphaba unfortunately couldn't control the blush that made her an even darker shade of putrid green. This caused those who could see it no end of amusement.

"Aww, the green bean is embarrassed!"

"Look how she blushes! How completely vile!"

"Children! Children, settle down!" Elphaba noticed for the first time the woman who occupied the podium. She couldn't get a very good look at the woman from this far away, but she guessed that she was Madam Morrible, the headmistress of the school.

"I shall not call you adults until you start acting like them!" she said shrilly. Elphaba let out the breath that she didn't know she had been holding when the other students turned reluctantly back to the front.

Madame Morrible droned on for what felt like forever, and even Elphaba in all her excitement couldn't stay focused on the opening ceremony. Finally, it ended, and the students filed out of the lecture hall. Elphaba held her head high even though the other students laughed and pointed. She was caught off guard earlier, but now her steely shield was securely in place and she looked pointedly in the direction of anyone who dared to look at her.

She made it to Crage Hall with little to no incident, dragging her bags behind her the whole way. Finally, she reached the imposing dormitory and entered the dining hall where another presentation was about to begin. She settled in at the back and pulled out a book from her bag. She absorbed herself into the novel, ignoring all those around her, and, before she knew it, Madame Morrible was talking again.

"You will learn to distinguish between a salad fork and a dinner fork, be able to rattle off the names of important figures in the upper society, and will work side by side with some of the most revered cooks in Shiz."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. She would do no such thing, and she thought it quite silly for a dormitory to have its own list of "courses." Elphaba knew what she was there for, and it certainly wasn't to learn the difference between a salad and dinner fork.

Madame Morrible then began to mutter about room assignments. Elphaba could only make out about every third word, but it didn't matter because she knew that the university had neglected to get her room arranged before her journey here. She had already expected to talk to Morrible about it.

Just as Morrible was getting ready to dismiss the girls to their rooms, Elphaba stood and raised her hand. "Excuse me, Madame Morrible?"

"Yes?" The woman asked. Elphaba could see her eyes narrowing even from the distance that she stood.

"I have yet to receive my room assignment."

A group of giggling girls that centered around a diminutive blond rolled their eyes and whispered amongst themselves. Elphaba took no notice as her eyes concentrated on Morrible, but the stately old woman's gaze shifted in the blond's direction. Elphaba saw a spark of mischief in Morrible's eyes, and she reeled even before Morrible told her what she had already guessed.

"You, Miss Thropp, will room with Miss Galinda Upland," Morrible said with a sneer that she could barely contain.

"But—Madame Morrible!" the blond—Galinda—squeaked.

"That's that ladies. I hope that you enjoy your time here at Shiz University." And with that, the woman exited the dining hall. The room erupted in sound, the most repeated being "I can't _believe_ Morrible would do that to Galinda!"

Elphaba gathered her bags and stalked over to where Galinda stood with her popular friends. Elphaba was so tired that her bones were aching, and all she wanted was to lie in a nice warm bath and relax her muscles. But, unfortunately, she had no idea where Galinda's room was.

"Miss Galinda?" Elphaba asked. Galinda turned on her heel and gave Elphaba the coldest and most severe look. Elphaba wouldn't have thought the small girl capable of such a look.

"Yes?" she asked between gritted teeth.

"Would you be so _kind_ as to show me to the room. I haven't the slightest idea where it might be." Elphaba accentuated the word "kind" and attempted to convey the fact that she wasn't at all scared of or impressed by Galinda.

The girls behind her giggled, and Elphaba shot them each a cold stare. That shut them up rather quickly. Elphaba chuckled inwardly. There were some advantages to being green, at least. People were generally scared of you, for one thing. But not the smallest of the bunch, Galinda. She fixed Elphaba with an icy stare of her own.

"Up the stairs, third floor, fourth door on the left," she said coolly and turned back to her friends.

Elphaba stood there somewhat dumbfounded. Had the blond just had the last word? Slightly miffed, Elphaba gathered her bags and resolved herself to hauling them up two flights of stairs.

"Galinda always could hold her own," the Witch said, smiling at the memory of the woman who Anya could only guess meant a lot to her. "People would tend to underestimate her, but she'd always come out on top. I do miss her. It's strange, thinking about those days. At the time, I was miserable but now…but now all of those memories have a hazy happiness surrounding them."

Anya nodded, understanding what Elphaba was saying. Something was bothering her, though. "You said Galinda Upland?"

Elphaba nodded.

"As in, Glinda Upland?" Another nod. "As in, Lady Glinda?"

Elphaba chuckled. "Yes, the Galinda—Glinda—that people call Glinda the Good was my roommate."

Anya nearly fainted with astonishment. "So…did you two always hate each other?"

"Later, dear girl. It is nearly morning again."

Anya glanced up at the window. The darkness had, indeed, subsided in favor of a hazy peach color. She couldn't believe that time had passed so quickly listening to the green woman tell her story. Elphaba took Anya's hands in her own and squeezed them slightly before hobbling over and laying down on her own mattress. The woman sighed and appeared to be asleep within minutes. Anya wondered where she had learned to get to sleep so quickly and so fitfully.


	6. You Must

**A/N: I return! I don't promise to update as regularly as before, but I definitely won't disappear from here again. : )**

**WARNING: This chapter contains mild language. Nothing too serious, I don't think, but still. **

Later that morning, the door to the cell was opened and a handful of soldiers entered. Anya awoke immediately this time and, horrified, remembered what had happened the last time. She saw a soldier go over to Elphaba's mattress. The green woman was still sleeping, the noise apparently not waking her.

"No," Anya whispered as the man bent to pick Elphaba up. He turned at the sound of her voice, and Anya recognized Avaric. She sighed in relief, but her body still felt tense as she recognized some of the other soldiers from the day before.

"Men, why don't you go and fetch some breakfast and some medicine for the Witch and her companion," Avaric said. The men gave him confused looks but obeyed, figuring that the lieutenant wanted some…personal time with the women.

Once she heard their footsteps going up the stairs, Anya breathed a sigh of relief. Avaric nodded tightly in her direction before turning back to the sleeping woman.

"Elphaba?" he whispered gently. "Elphie?"

"I've told you a thousand times not to call me that," the Witch said crossly, still not opening her eyes. Anya wondered if she simply pretended to be asleep every morning.

"Elphaba, can you sit up?" Avaric asked, ignoring her complaints.

"Of course I can, Avaric. I'm not an invalid." Elphaba was rather irritated this morning.

"Elphaba, if we hurry, I can get you out of here. Those men would get lost trying to find their way home; they'll be a while trying to find medicine. Now, c'mon, let's go!"

Elphaba opened her eyes then and frowned. "No," she said simply.

Avaric sighed in frustration. "I see that your cellmate has done no good in convincing you to leave," he said glancing in Anya's direction. Anya bristled, registering the spiteful tone of his voice.

"On the contrary," Elphaba said, her eyes dancing with mischief. "She has made me want to stay even more. And she's made my stay more comfortable than it has been so far." Here, the green woman gestured to her bandages.

Avaric's face changed from one of frustration, to anger, to pity, and then to sadness. "Elphaba, please. Fiyero—"

"Don't bring him into this!" Elphaba commanded, raising her voice. "You've used him as leverage one too many times, and I will not hear his named being used as such again. He is gone, Avaric, and the sooner we all accept that, the better."

"Is this what he would have wanted, Elphaba?" Avaric asked wearily. It was obvious they had had this argument too often.

"No," Elphaba admitted. "But at least I'm still breathing. I could have very easily killed myself. I probably should have. At least then I would be with him now instead of rotting in this awful prison. But we each have our burdens to carry."

Avaric opened his mouth to say something else, but he heard the soldiers' footfalls on the stairs and became quiet. He allowed the medic to treat Elphaba, turning his head when she winced in pain. He pouted moodily while the women ate their gravy. He dismissed his men just before they were finished eating.

"I've seen to it that you remain alive, Elphaba. If you think you would be happier in the afterlife, I'm sure the Captain would have no problem agreeing to kill you."

Elphaba didn't even blink an eye. "Avaric, we all know that you couldn't do that."

"You're really trying my patience, Elphaba. Why won't you just come with me? We could search for Fiyero, give him a proper burial…"

Anya noticed Elphaba's eyes cloud with tears for the first time, and the sight terrified her. One tear slid easily down her face before she could wipe it away.

"Why do you say such things? You know I cannot leave, Avaric, I—" But Elphaba was interrupted by the sound of footsteps.

"Lieutenant, why have you not returned yet? Is this bitch giving you problems?" The surly Captain asked, gesturing to Elphaba.

"No, sir," Avaric responded, guilt covering his face. Anya knew what he was thinking—if he wouldn't have stayed so long, the Captain wouldn't be down there.

"Is she trying to magic spell you then?" The Captain grinned. He thought it was rather funny for a woman such as the Witch to cast a spell such as that, especially not since he punished her quite violently the day before.

"No, sir. I was merely ensuring that our new prisoner had eaten her gravy. I know how much His Highness cares for each and every one of his sheep, no matter how far they stray from the fold." The propaganda slipped from Avaric's lips as smoothly as butter, and Anya wondered how many times he had to say such lies.

"Yes, yes," the Captain said impatiently, waving his hand in the air. He glanced at Anya but then turned his gaze back to the green woman. "I see you've ordered a medic for this thing."

"Yes, sir. I thought that she should be kept alive, sir, and her wounds were quite bad," Avaric said, a hint of anger in his voice. Anya prayed that the Captain didn't pick up on it. Luckily, the man turned a deaf ear to Avaric. He seemed to be mesmerized by Elphaba.

"Lieutenant?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Take her out and have her beaten," he said dismissively. "I fear I cannot do it today. My arm is still sore from the last time, and we have that benefit tonight."

Avaric blanched but agreed. The Captain nodded, throwing over his shoulder, "I'll send some soldiers to ensure the job is done…properly." And then he was gone.

"Rat bastard!" Avaric spat, falling to his knees and grabbing a handful of his hair. "May the Unnamed God damn him to hell!"

Anya sat unmoving. She feared that the atmosphere in the room was too tense, too full of emotion, that even one particle of change could ignite the air. Her eyes shifted to Elphaba, who also sat unmoving. The green woman was crying softly. Anya was taken aback by this. The day before, she had taken whatever the Captain had done to her screaming, yes, but also stoically. There were no tears, only defiance. Was Elphaba's façade finally breaking?

"Avaric," Elphaba whispered, her voice faint with the tears that Anya could tell she was fighting.

"I'm here, Elphaba. It's okay. I'll figure something out," he said. He sounded deflated, and not even Anya could cling to the hope that he was right.

"I'm sorry," the green woman said. "I'm so sorry. This isn't fair to you. Even when I'm stuck in this miserable prison, secluded from everyone else, I continue to ruin lives. How is it that my curse can be transmitted so easily?"

"Elphaba, this isn't your fault. It's the Wizard's, and we all know that."

"Make one of the other soldiers do it. I don't think I could bear it if you were forced to…"

"Elphaba, you know I can't just order my men to do that! I can't just let it happen."

She rose from her mattress and wiped at her tears, putting on a strong, brave face. She walked over and knelt beside him, grabbing his hands. "You must."


	7. Avaric's Love

**A/N: A short chapter just because it turned out that way. I've been writing a lot more with this story lately, so the updates should be more frequent again. Thank you to all of those who read this…I really appreciate it.**

**Oh, and just a side note, this story is rather dark. I have no idea why it's coming out so dark, but it gets better, I promise. This story will not end as a tragedy, so don't get too discouraged. : )**

Elphaba returned to the cell after what seemed like an eternity. Avaric was carrying her in his arms, and his face looked solemn. She was completely limp in his arms, like a rag doll. She looked so very breakable just then, and Anya could hardly stand it.

Avaric laid her gently on her mattress and brushed the hair out of her face. "It was horrible," was all he could manage to get past his lips.

"Avaric, I—I'm sorry. Why don't you just take her now? Leave here, never come back."

Avaric sighed and sat on the edge of Elphaba's mattress. "It's not quite that simple. I would do that in a heartbeat if I thought that Elphaba would listen, that she would stay put. But I know her better than that. If she says she wants to be here, then here is where she will be."

Anya studied the man before her. He was obviously worn, as was evidenced by his sunken eyes and disheveled hair. His uniform looked as though it needed a wash; the man looked that way as well. Anya's sympathy went to the man—he obviously wanted to get Elphaba away from here, and he obviously cared for the woman very deeply.

"How long have you loved her?" Anya asked before she could stop herself. She could nearly kick herself for asking such a thing.

"Is it so obvious?" Avaric asked, a sad smile illuminating his features.

"Well, I can tell that you care for her very much."

"Too much," he agreed. He then sighed. "She was never mine, and she was never meant to be mine. She always loved Fiyero."

"Why?"

Avaric looked taken aback by the question. He sat silent, contemplating for a moment. Finally he answered. "I suppose because he was the first one to see her as who she was and not what she looked like. I think he loved her the moment he saw her. I grew to love her as I got to know her." There was no bitterness in his voice. Sadness was the only emotion that existed, and perhaps regret. "She could somehow sense the difference; she could sense that his love was purer than mine—at first at least. Now, I'd gladly give my life for her. But back then…I'm not so sure."

Anya listened intently. The Wicked Witch of the West was much more complicated than she had ever imagined. She wondered what else the green woman had to tell her. She glanced nervously at Elphaba's face, which had gone ashen. "Is she going to be okay?"

Avaric turned and looked at her. "I hope so. The men—they didn't want to stop today. It's getting harder and harder to make them stop. I'm afraid that if things continue as they are now…well, she won't suffer for much longer."

"Why torture this poor woman? She is obviously not as dangerous as the Wizard says. I noticed that after the first hour with her."

Avaric shrugged. "She's different, and the Wizard noticed that. Can you imagine what kind of world we would live in if Elphaba had gained control of Oz? People would have listened to her, citing her skin as a sign from the Unnamed God. Green is the color of emeralds, after all. But if she had come to power, men like the Wizard would cease to exist. When he realized that, he vowed to silence her in any way that he could. That, of course, meant taking everything from her. First Galinda, then Nessa, and, finally, Fiyero."

When Avaric had finished speaking, Anya was trembling. The chills shook her body, just as Elphaba's tremors had enveloped her on that first night. She had always known that the Wizard wasn't a good person, but she had no idea how terrible he truly was. She shuddered as she thought of all of the times her lover had warned her of the Wizard and his propaganda.

_ "Now look!" he exclaimed, incredulous. "They're saying that water would melt her. How ridiculous!"_

_ "You know," Anya answered, peaking her head around the corner to look at him. "I don't think I'll ever understand what your obsession with that Wicked Witch is. Now come to bed. It's getting late."_

_ "She's just a normal person, Anya. I think anyone could relate to that."_

"Tell me about Fiyero," Anya said, her voice serious. She had a feeling that the man held a very large part of Elphaba's life, and if she were ever to understand Elphaba, she would have to know about him.

"What about Fiyero?" Elphaba asked in a weak voice, her words slurring slightly.

Avaric turned to her and put a hand on her forehead. "Nothing, darling. You must rest now. I'll come and check on you at dinner. I must be going now." Avaric nodded to Anya before leaving the cell.

"What happened?" Elphaba asked, trying to rise from her mattress. She grabbed her head and thought better of the movement, lying back down. Anya was by her side in seconds, already tending to the woman's numerous wounds.

"The guards…"

"Ah. Say no more. I don't really want to remember it all that much." She tried to grin, but it came out as a grimace.

The women were silent then. Anya never left Elphaba's side, but Elphaba faded in and out of consciousness. When she was awake, she would often call for Fiyero or Galinda. Then she would see Anya, and Anya could see reality crash in on Elphaba again, threatening to crush her. The worst was when Elphaba had mistakenly called her Galinda.

"Galinda, my sweet. Oh, how I have missed your face!" Elphaba's green hand weakly caressed Anya's face, and then the woman was unconscious again.


	8. Reasons

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who is still reading this! It really means a lot to me. Galinda is rather mean when she first comes into the story, but she gets better eventually, I promise. She has her motives, just like Elphaba.**

Anya struggled to eat her dinner, the gruel scraping against the back of her throat and making her want to vomit. Elphaba hadn't stirred since she had called Anya Galinda, and Anya was beginning to worry. Avaric had also failed to make an appearance at dinner like he had promised. Anya assumed it had something to do with that benefit the Captain had mentioned.

As darkness descended on the women again, Elphaba called for her. "Anya?" Her voice was coarse from thirst.

Anya cupped some water from the basin in her hands and carefully made her way to where the Witch lay. Elphaba sat up slowly and drank cautiously from Anya's tightly cupped hands. When she had finished, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand as Anya wiped her hands on her dirty skirt.

"Where did we leave off?" the green woman asked, not missing a beat.

"But, Elphaba, shouldn't you rest? You can tell me more tomorrow."

"No day but today," Elphaba smiled ruefully. "Besides, I assume that you're nearly dying from want of entertainment. I know that being alone with only these four walls for company can make a person go crazy."

"How long have you been here?" Anya asked, surprised that she didn't know the answer to that question.

"Nearly three years now. Ever since Fiyero…"

Anya took the other woman's hand in her own. She couldn't imagine losing her lover. She wondered how Fiyero had died, if it had been from illness or a freak accident. Or the Wizard.

Elphaba took a deep breath. "I'll tell you about it eventually. I'm afraid I'll have to prepare myself. These old memories don't haunt me anymore, but him…It's difficult for me to think of that time in my life, even now."

"I understand."

"So where were we?"

"You had just gotten paired up with Galinda."

Elphaba smiled, her eyes growing distant as she revisited her memories. "Galinda. Yes. Well, we were completely different from one another. And because of this, we immediately loathed each other…"

* * *

"Would you desist?" Elphaba asked, swiveling around in her chair, annoyance and frustration clear on her face.

Galinda, who had been quite loudly preparing for her date, rolled her eyes. "What, is the green bean trying to study?"

Elphaba returned Galinda's eye roll. "Something you obviously haven't heard of."

"Oh, really, Miss Thropp, who needs books when you have boys? Oh, but how silly of me! You've got nothing but your books, do you?" Galinda grinned maliciously.

Elphaba was so used to being made fun of that the comments didn't even faze her. "Yes, well when your pretty looks fade, which they inevitably will, your husband will wish that he had married someone with substance."

Galinda gaped at Elphaba for only a split second before she regained her composure, but it was long enough for Elphaba to know that she had won. She smirked and turned back to her books, sighing contentedly. Galinda, of course, made sure to make as much noise as she could while she curled her hair, changed her clothes, put on her makeup. Elphaba only smirked more, knowing that she had gotten under her roommate's skin.

"Don't wait up, Miss Thropp. I'm sure I'll be having too _marvelous_ of a time to notice the clock. I _sincerely_ hope I don't wake you when I return," Galinda called over her shoulder as she exited the room. She slammed the door, and Elphaba breathed a sigh of relief. While surly came easily to her, the tension in the room when she and her roommate were both present and conscious was staggering. She hoped that she would get to transfer the next semester.

* * *

"I do believe you've met the man she went on a date with that night. As I recall, it was her and Avaric's first date," the Witch said with a smile.

Anya's face showed her surprise. "Avaric went out with Lady Glinda?"

Elphaba laughed a little at her shock. "Is that so hard to imagine? Galinda's beautiful, sure, but back then Avaric was the most popular and handsome boy in school. Until Fiyero, of course." Elphaba looked sad, but her eyes twinkled with the memory.

"How did you meet him?" Anya asked, entirely consumed by her curiosity. She had heard so much about him, yet she had heard hardly anything about him at all. The irony of that didn't escape Anya as she waited for Elphaba to respond.

"I see who you're interested in," Elphaba teased with a slight smile. "I don't blame you, though. He was always the more interesting of the two of us. But I'm getting to him, don't worry."

Anya smiled. Who knew that she would be talking about men with the Wicked Witch of the West? Anya distinctly remembered the papers claiming that the Witch was neither man nor woman. Some even claimed that the Witch was born both male and female, completely anatomically correct. Once, her lover had read to her an account of a man who had claimed to be captured by the Witch.

_ "Listen to this," her lover said, laughter clear in his voice. " 'She kidnapped me, she did! She stripped me naked, and then she removed her own clothes. I saw scars where a…man's parts…would be. I swear it, I do!' How completely ridiculous!"_

_ Anya, who was stretched across the bed, honestly couldn't care less. Who really did care if the Witch was man or woman, or both? The Witch was a terrorist, and it didn't matter what sex a terrorist had. _

_ "Come to bed," Anya purred. Her lover looked up from the paper and grinned._

_ After they had made love that night, Anya clung to him as if he were a life preserver. He was all that made sense to her. His dark skin swirled with her white, and Anya dreamt of the children that they would have together, if only they were permitted._

"What are you thinking of?" Elphaba asked, pulling Anya from her reverie.

"Just…my past. My family. I miss him so much it hurts."

Elphaba nodded. "You'll see him again soon. I can feel it in my bones. I may not be a sorceress like they claim, but I still have my intuition."

Anya grinned sadly. "I hope that you are right." She paused. "I think you would like him," she said suddenly.

"Why?"

Anya, who had mostly listened during her imprisonment, felt her stomach turn with nerves. Whereas Elphaba's story was altogether engrossing and important, Anya's was far less glamorous. Even her lover seemed to pale in comparison of what Elphaba clearly felt for her Fiyero. Anya wondered if Elphaba would think her naïve for sharing her intimate thoughts about her lover.

"He's activist, like you, but in his own little way. You see, he's from the Vinkus—" here Elphaba blanched but nodded "—and, because of the Wizard's laws of segregation, we aren't allowed to marry. He always supported you, saying that your fight was our fight. I think he would be shocked to know that I'm speaking to the Witch herself."

Elphaba, who had regained her composure by this time, smiled and nodded. "I had hoped to make a difference. Unfortunately, I failed. But if being in prison has taught me anything, I've learned the resilience of human and Animal nature. Someone will surely fight the battle that I couldn't win. And, if not, then the world simply isn't worth living in."

"Why did you give up, Elphaba?"

Elphaba sighed and closed her eyes. Anya thought that she had offended her and opened her mouth to apologize when Elphaba answered. "I refused to fight dirty like the Wizard. He can take everything else away from me, and, believe me, he has, but he can't take my morals. They're all I have anymore. It was either give up or go crazy with the things that I couldn't change."

"So why not just seclude yourself somewhere? Why get captured? I'm sure that you could have avoided it. You avoided capture for four years. What happened?"

Pain crossed Elphaba's face, but the green woman was quick to hide it with a smile. "Such a curious girl. Perhaps one day I'll feel comfortable in revealing my reasons. Until then, be comforted by the fact that this is truly what I want."

Anya shook her head. She didn't understand it, but she supposed she would have to accept it.


	9. Sentence

**A/N: Well, this is slightly depressing. I haven't had a chance to even look at this story since my last post. I've been writing ahead if such an occasion arose, and luckily I did. I don't know when I'll have time to come back to this (life is way too busy right now), but I've written it up to Chapter 14. I'll try to post somewhat regularly, but I do want to have some cushion, so I'll have to write some before I post another. Thank you for your patience, and thanks for reading!**

"Galinda and I lived like that for nearly three months," Elphaba continued her story. "I was so immersed in my studies that I didn't even notice when she came and went."

* * *

Galinda entered the room in a huff and slammed the door after her. She plopped down on her bed and buried her face in her hands, attempting to suppress her sobs but not succeeding very well. Elphaba, who had been diligently reading before the interruption, looked at her roommate with a blank face. She had seen Galinda cry too many times to be sympathetic. In fact, it took everything in her not to tell Galinda to stop sniveling.

Finally, after Elphaba had long given up on a peaceful evening, Galinda became quiet. And then, after months of only speaking when spoken to, Galinda initiated a conversation with her roommate. "Miss Elphaba?"

Elphaba, who had gone back to her reading, jumped at the sudden and unaccustomed noise. "Hmm?" she asked, not knowing what to say. Galinda had never spoken to her unsolicited before.

"I…I was just wondering…" Here Elphaba held her breath. Was this an olive branch or just another way of testing her nerves? "What is it you're always studying, anyway?" Galinda finished lamely.

Elphaba's brow furrowed as she wondered why Galinda had suddenly developed an interest in her affairs. And then it dawned on her—perhaps Galinda had been upset about something important and had no one else to talk to. Despite willing herself to feel otherwise, Elphaba began to feel her heart open to her roommate, if only slightly.

"Well," Elphaba cleared her throat. "Lately, I've been studying the psychology of man. I'm attempting to understand the connections between man's psychology and an Animal's psychology."

"Why?"

"Well, don't you think it a little strange that we only have one Animal professor? And that we have no Animal classmates? I think there's something going on here. Something that is terrible. Something that threatens the lives of Animals as we know it. What do you think?"

"I can't say I've thought much about it," Galinda said, her voice sounding distant as if she were thinking of something else.

"Forget it," Elphaba said, picking up on Galinda's boredom and closing up her heart yet again. She didn't think anyone could ever understand her, especially not the well-to-do Galinda.

"No!" Galinda rose from her side of the room and, for the first time, perched herself very delicately on the edge of Elphaba's bed. Elphaba, who had been sitting at the head of her bed, nearly jumped from the sudden closeness. She had never seen Galinda like this, and, as much as she hated to admit it, it bothered her that Galinda was upset.

"Please, don't hate me," Galinda said after an awkward and pregnant silence.

"Miss Galinda—"

"I know I've been terrible to you," Galinda sobbed, her face buried in her hands. "It's just, I wasn't expecting a roommate, you see. And, well, the other girls…"

"They like to make fun of me."

Galinda nodded. "I'm sorry Miss Elphaba. Truly I am."

Elphaba was suspicious. What had caused Galinda's sudden transformation? Had she really changed, or was this some clever joke that the girls' had thought up?

Galinda's face suddenly brightened. "Oh, I know!"

"What?"

"You can come to the Ozdust with us all next week! Then they'll see how amazing you really are!"

Elphaba questioned Galinda's motives once again. She knew that the blond couldn't have turned over a new leaf so quickly. Galinda barely knew her.

"Why do you care what your friends think about me? And why should I care?"

Upon hearing Elphaba's questions, Galinda began sobbing again. Elphaba, who didn't think she had a sympathetic bone left in her body after being so mercilessly teased, began to feel sorry for her poor roommate. She didn't know what was wrong, but she had a feeling that it had something to do with the blond's popular friends, Pfannee and ShenShen. Perhaps they had relentlessly teased Galinda about her awful roommate. Elphaba wanted a lot of things from life, but causing another trouble just because of her appearance or demeanor was not one of them.

"Please, Elphaba?" Galinda squeaked, her voice cracking with her emotion.

Elphaba's eyebrows were nearly hidden, they were so far up her forehead. Galinda had never, _ever_ referred to Elphaba as simply _Elphaba._ She sighed and felt her resolve and suspicion slipping away from her. If Galinda were trying to trick her, why would she be so upset, and why would she use Elphaba's name without the honorific? It didn't fit Galinda's style.

"Fine," Elphaba sighed. Galinda made a sound something akin to yelping and hugged Elphaba fiercely. Elphaba tensed from the contact and became generally awkward. Galinda stopped her sobbing and grinned behind Elphaba's back.

* * *

"So, did you go?" Anya asked, completely enthralled by the newest developments in Elphaba's tale.

The Witch nodded. "I did."

"And what happened?"

"Life," was all the green woman would reveal. Half of her mouth rose in a smile, and Anya suddenly knew that everything would be all right.

The women were interrupted by the sounds of boots running down the stairs. Elphaba, who had been relaxed, visibly tensed. Anya stood, alert, ready to protect Elphaba however she could. The Witch obviously couldn't take any more beatings, and Anya was determined to see that she received none. Both women let out a breath when Avaric threw the door to their cell open.

He was out of breath, and his fancy uniform—Anya was right, he had attended the benefit—was crumpled. He looked stricken, as though someone had given him a death warrant. Anya approached him, but he didn't acknowledge her presence. He stood there, still and silent, for what seemed like an eternity. Finally his eyes found Elphaba's, and he went to her. He knelt before her and grabbed her hands.

Elphaba grabbed his hands in return and clung to them fiercely. Her knuckles turned white with the strength of her grasp. Avaric then buried his head in their joined hands and wept, bitterly, loudly. Anya had never seen nor heard anything so horrific as this strong lieutenant crumpled on the ground at the Wicked Witch's feet sobbing. Elphaba began to weep silently, her tears falling freely onto Avaric's hair.

Anya, who was completely perplexed by this scene, crossed the cell and sat silently beside Elphaba. She watched the two cry for what seemed like hours. Elphaba's face had a strong, defiant quality to it, and Anya feared for the worst. Finally, when Avaric had pulled himself together, Anya dared to ask what was wrong.

"The bastards—" was all Avaric could say before he was choked by his emotion.

"I've been sentenced to death," Elphaba said hollowly.


	10. Absolution

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I'm sorry that I left you with such and unfair cliffhanger. I've been out of town for about a week, and before that I was dealing with midterms. But I'm hopefully back for good now. I feel like since I've had some time away from this story, I can come back to it refreshed and ready to finish it out. :) **

"What? Why?" Anya asked, all at once incredulous and heartbroken. How could they do this? After years of ignoring Elphaba, why choose to kill her now?

Anya suddenly began to regret things that she had no control over. She regretted Elphaba's childhood. She regretted Elphaba's color, which had caused the woman so much pain. And most of all, she regretted the steps that had led her to this cell. She wished above all that she could return to her lover and that she could forget about this whole ordeal. She regretted getting to know the Witch, only to lose her again in the most horrific of ways.

Elphaba looked at her then, as if she could hear Anya's thoughts. Anya immediately felt remorse for wishing to never have known the wonderful woman sitting next to her. Despite the pain, deep down Anya knew that through Elphaba's life Anya had learned to appreciate her own life. She had learned how to question the "facts" given to her, and she had learned to truly _listen _to people. Anya would forever be grateful to Elphaba, which made the news even harder to digest.

"The bastards," Avaric repeated, having regained his composure again. "This _benefit _tonight was only a sham, a ploy for the Wizard to announce his plans to execute the Wicked Witch."

"I…I don't understand," Anya admitted. She couldn't, wouldn't accept that Elphaba might be taken away from her. She didn't think she could survive Southstairs without her.

"I'm like a token of the Wizard's power," Elphaba said, her voice strangely weary.

"That filthy rat is losing power and influence in Oz, so he's dragging Elphaba back out into the limelight to show what he's capable of. He's using her execution to show what he accomplished in capturing the Wicked Witch in the hopes of recovering some of the disgruntled Ozians," Avaric whispered quickly through clenched teeth.

"How is he losing influence? He's the _Wizard_. People practically worship him." Anya couldn't quite understand the Wizard's motives. As far as she was concerned, he had all the power in the world. If he could take away an Animal's rights as easily as taking a breath, then he had to still have some measure of power.

"Some of the Ozians aren't seeing the progress that they had hoped for when the Witch was captured," Avaric tried to explain. "They're finally starting to see how rotten the Wizard is. He is letting our once beautiful lands fall into ruin. The Yellow Brick Road is mostly in shambles now, and the different provinces are losing communication with each other and with the Emerald City. The Wizard is hoping that using the Witch as a common enemy once again will reunite Oz under his rule."

Anya nodded, feeling strangely calm and collected. She understood what Avaric was telling her, and she felt that knowledge was half of the battle. Now that she knew what they were up against, she felt that they could fight it, and, more importantly, that they could win.

"So what are we going to do?" she asked.

"I don't know," Avaric admitted, rising and running his hands through his hair roughly. "I suppose I can find an exit that we can use. But what's unfortunate is that the Wizard went out of his way to make sure I have limited contact with Elphaba. That means that I'm being watched. Hell, they probably know that I'm here now. These walls seem to breathe sometimes."

"Does he suspect how involved your relationship is?" Anya asked tensely. Their escape could depend entirely on his answer. It was one thing for the Wizard to question Avaric's loyalty; it was a completely different matter if the Wizard was certain of Avaric's connection with Elphaba.

"I don't think so. I believe that he thinks I've just been partaking in…physical pleasures with Elphaba. He fears that will cloud my judgment around her."

"At least he hasn't caught on to the truth yet." Anya breathed a sigh of relief. It was short lived, however. She had a feeling that true relief wouldn't be present in her life for a very long time. "Avaric, we have to escape."

"I know. I just haven't figured out how. Security is increasing around your cell tomorrow. In fact, I don't know when I'll be able to come back. They've got me posted in the third quarter, of all places. Far, far away from here, of course," he said bitterly.

"Really?" Anya asked, perking up. "That's perfect!"

Avaric looked confused. "I'm not following."

"My…family lives there. He'll help us."

"Who is he?" Avaric asked, also beginning to get a glint of hope in his eyes.

"He's Vinkun. A tailor. But he has many connections, Animal and otherwise. The community will listen to him. We can give the Wizard a fight that he never dreamed of."

Avaric smiled for the first time that night. "We can finally give the Wizard what he deserves."

The two conspirators smiled at each other in the damp darkness of the cell. Elphaba, who had been strangely quiet throughout the ordeal, straightened on the mattress. Anya could feel the tension radiating off of her body, and when Anya looked over at her, she could tell that Elphaba was not happy. On the contrary, Elphaba appeared to be quite angry.

"No," she nearly growled.

Avaric, who hadn't noticed the change in Elphaba's demeanor, jumped at the fierce sound in her voice. "Elphie?"

"I will _not_ have more blood on my hands."

"But Elphaba—" Avaric tried.

"_No_," she said more fiercely than before. Anya shrank away from the green woman, fearing her anger.

Avaric looked to Anya for support. Anya gulped and attempted to convince Elphaba of what they needed to do to save her life. "Elphaba, please. We have to get you out of here. I don't think all of those who you have fought for could bare to see their heroine murdered."

The look that Elphaba gave her made Anya feel as though she were the one murdering Elphaba. It was a mix of sorrow, anger, understanding, and, most surprisingly of all, acceptance. "I can't have anyone else risking their lives for me. I won't allow it. I would rather die at the blade of the Wizard than be forced to live with that guilt for the rest of my life. I already have too much of that."

"Elphaba, Fiyero wouldn't want this. He would want you to keep fighting. He would hate that you were here in the first place," Avaric tried again.

Elphaba rose quickly and slapped him across the face. He grabbed his cheek and looked surprised and, above all, hurt. "I told you to _never_ use him as leverage again. Now get out."

"Elphaba—"

"Go!" the green woman screamed, the force of it nearly shaking the walls of the cell, or so Anya imagined.

Avaric turned to go, looking more stricken than he had when he had entered. At the door, he glanced back at Elphaba, who still stood seething in the middle of the room. "I'm sorry," he offered.

"I forgot to ask, Master Avaric," Elphaba started, her tone still sizzling with her anger, "when am I to die?"

"Two weeks," Avaric answered morbidly. He exited and shut the door quietly behind him. Anya sat very still, shock not even beginning to describe her reaction to the events that had just unfolded.

Once Avaric had exited the cell, Elphaba visibly deflated. Anya remained silent, afraid of what speaking would cause. Elphaba suddenly rushed to the small drain in the corner of the room that they used as a toilet. She vomited, doubling over and clutching her stomach. Once she was finished, Anya carefully carried some water over to her. She was shaking with the force of her sickness, and she barely acknowledged Anya.

Finally, she took a drink of water and straightened to her full height, only to grab her stomach and vomit again. Eventually, after what seemed to Anya a painfully long time, Elphaba crossed the cell to her mattress and sat precariously on the edge.

"Damned gravy," she tried to joke, but her voice shook.

"Are you okay?" Anya asked, her concern apparent.

Elphaba tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace. "I'm fine. Just a little upset is all."

"You shouldn't be so hard on Avaric. He cares for you very deeply."

Elphaba nodded slowly. "Yes, I know. But he aggravates me with his constant badgering. I just wish he would respect my decision. He says that Fiyero wouldn't be happy with me because I'm here, but I know that Fiyero would at least respect and understand why I have to be here."

"Well, have you tried explaining your reasons to Avaric?"

Elphaba shook her head. "I think only me and the Unnamed God, if he exists, know my reasons. Even then, I'm not sure if the Unnamed God truly understands."

"Maybe that's why Avaric is having a problem in seeing you stuck here. If you explained it to him—"

"If I explained it to him, he would simply argue and disagree."

"Why not try explaining it to me then?" Anya was surprised by her own boldness, but her curiosity over Elphaba's reasons had reached its peak.

Elphaba succeeded in producing the smallest of smiles. "Fine, dear girl." Anya held her breath, strangely excited for what Elphaba had to tell her. It felt as if the two were schoolgirls preparing to share a secret over a handsome classmate. But Anya knew that Elphaba's explanation was nothing like the frivolity of schoolgirl crushes. It made Anya wish for times past, when life wasn't so complicated.

"I choose to be here as a punishment for my life," Elphaba said matter-of-factly.

Anya looked at Elphaba as if she were crazy. "What?"

Elphaba sighed, and Anya feared that she would be sick again. The Witch closed her eyes for a moment, either settling her stomach or gathering her thoughts. Perhaps both. When she opened them again, she focused on Anya.

"I've caused so much pain unnecessarily throughout my life. This is my way of repaying that debt. Whatever pain I face here is nothing compared to what I've caused others. I've ruined _lives_, Anya. This was the only way I could feel comfortable living with myself."

Anya couldn't believe what she was hearing. Punishment by way of torture? It seemed incomprehensible that the green woman could have caused as much pain as she had endured in wretched Southstairs. "What good can that do the people that you've hurt? Torturing yourself is no way to atone for your sins, whatever they may be."

Elphaba suddenly looked consumed with weariness. She sighed, holding her head in her hands. "I'm afraid it's the only way I can truly atone for the sins I've committed."

"What can be so bad?"

The Witch leveled a look at Anya. She could tell that Elphaba was struggling with her emotion, struggling against her own body, struggling against all the ties that had bound her and made her silent for all this time. "Anya, I—I've killed someone; I've caused someone's death. Because of me, he no longer breathes in another day, no longer blinks against the harshness of the sun. Because of me, because of my stupid ideals. I can't allow that to ever happen again. Better for me to be beaten than to cause another death."

"Who?" Anya asked, taken aback by the emotion in the Witch's voice.

"Fiyero," she whispered.

The earth continued to spin, allowing its residents to enjoy another day. The moon shone brightly through the window, illuminating the cell and bringing to light the grimy reality of it all. Water dripped somewhere, its sound echoing through the silence. The women sat there, burdened by past and unwilling to move into the future.


	11. Defiant

**CHAPTER 11**

**Hello everyone! It has been way too long. I've left this story on the back burner so that I could devote the time to it that it deserved, and I'm just now able to get around to it. I'm very excited to show you guys the ending, and I hope that you haven't lost interest in it yet. Thank you guys so much for keeping with it! :)**

Rain started shortly after sunrise the next morning. The dampness in the air made Anya shudder. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly. The sound of the rain threatened to lull her to sleep, but she was determined to remain conscious. She feared the nightmares that would surely come if she closed her eyes.

Elphaba had gone to sleep not long after telling Anya about her reasons for staying in Southstairs. Anya could hear the Witch's soft crying but knew that the woman was beyond comforting. She had kept that guilt with her for years; Anya knew there was nothing that she could say that would even make her feel a little better.

Anya couldn't bear the thoughts that were circling in her head. _You're going to die here. You'll never see him again. You'll be all alone. Elphaba will die. Elphaba will die._ She put her hands over her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. See no evil; hear no evil. But somehow the evil had seeped in, and it threatened to destroy her life. No, it had already done that. Now it threatened to take away what little life she had left.

She squeezed her eyes tighter when the tears threatened to fall. Her lover's face suddenly flashed in her mind, and she whimpered. His dark hair, curling slightly at the ends. His kind, brown eyes, deep enough to drown in. His dark skin, indicative of his heritage, the heritage that she loved so much.

* * *

Him. It all started with him. Her life started with him.

The first time they met each other's eyes, it was like a spark ignited between their souls. He was working as a tailor for the Animals, specifically for a Wolf named Kauru. She was trying to make ends meet working at Kauru's Inn. The first time she saw him, she was taken aback by his dark skin. He was the first person she had ever met from the Vinkus.

He quickly won her heart without even trying. His simple ways and his kind heart spoke volumes to her wounded spirit. Their first night together, when awkward melted into sweet, he whispered, "I love you."

* * *

"Anya?" Elphaba asked. Anya hadn't realized she had been sobbing. She had gotten so lost in her thoughts of him that she had been consumed. She was the moth, he the flame, and she was caught, transfixed by his brightness.

Elphaba crossed the short distance to Anya's mattress and sat down next to her. "What is it, my sweet?"

Anya tried to smile. "I'm fine," she said, not even believing her own words.

"Don't worry. I'll get you out of here," Elphaba said, her tone strong and confident. What happened to make this woman so ready to help Anya yet so ready to let herself die?

"What's the point?" Anya asked, feeling especially rebellious. She was frustrated by Elphaba. She respected the woman more than she could even describe, yet Elphaba refused to respect herself. Feeling irritated, Anya lashed out. "Why shouldn't I just give up like you have? What difference does it make? He's probably long gone by now anyway, captured or worse. And you'll be killed. Why even try?"

Elphaba looked as though Anya had slapped her. "Because you're important, Anya."

"Well, aren't you?" Anya stood, her anger and hurt giving her power she didn't know she had. "Why me and not you?"

Elphaba sighed then, looking world-weary. The wind howled outside, lashing the rain in through the window. Elphaba shuddered and pulled her shawl closer to her body. The bruises from the beatings shown on her face like war paint. She was a broken woman, and Anya suddenly felt sorry for getting angry. There must be more to the story than Elphaba would let on.

"I'm sorry," Anya offered, kneeling before the woman much like Avaric had the night before.

"You don't understand what it's like," she said suddenly, fiercely. Anya was terrified that she had angered the green woman. "I've lost everything. That _bastard_ has taken everything away from me. My best friend, my sister, my lover. I literally have nothing left. There at the end, even Animals were getting killed. In my name. Because of me. You have no idea what that feels like. To have another being murdered in cold blood just because they had been seen selling food to you, giving you a place to stay. I'm a ticking bomb, Anya. I'm surprised you haven't been caught in the aftershock." Elphaba thought again, then added, "Or perhaps you have, and we just haven't realized it yet."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you wouldn't be in this cell with me for no reason, now would you?" Elphaba sneered, disgust marring her features.

"What?" Anya couldn't keep up with Elphaba's thoughts.

"I assume that you're connected to me in some way, but I haven't quite figured it out yet. Your lover—what did you say his name was again?"

Anya opened her mouth to breathe her lover's name when the door was suddenly flung open. The subject was forgotten as the guards stormed into the room. The Captain entered last, a crooked smile on his face and a cigarette burning between his lips.

"Breakfast!" one of the younger guards yelled, and bowls of gravy were dropped unceremoniously on the floor.

"My, my, doesn't the little Witch look lively today?" the Captain sneered, puffing his cigarette. "I'm guessing that little weasel Avaric has told you of your execution?" Elphaba stared at her gravy, eating defiantly. "Yes, well that little bastard has been told who gets to have fun with the Witch, hasn't he men?" The men laughed and agreed boisterously. "Grab her, men. I think I need some quality time with the Witch." He grinned wickedly.

One of the men stepped up to Elphaba and grabbed her arm roughly. She dropped the bowl of gravy, and it smashed on the ground, fragments of clay pottery shattering and flying in various directions. Her eyes smoldered with anger as she was dragged through the spilled gravy. Anya's eyes followed the trail of gravy, making sure not to look at Elphaba. She was close to the brink of something dark and sinister, something she had never felt before, and she was afraid of what she might do if she knew the truth.

All was deathly silent in the prison for a long time. Anya sat uncomfortably on the mattress, the guards seeming completely disinterested in her. Her food was left untouched, and she strained to hear what was going on just outside of the door to the cell. Suddenly, a scream ripped though the silence, shaking Anya to her core.

"No!" was Elphaba's unmistakable voice, angry, pleading, defiant, hurt.

Anya felt her heart skip a beat. Was this all she amounted to? Standing by while her friend—for Elphaba had indeed become her friend—was being hurt? She studied the soldiers who were in the cell with her. They looked young and scrawny, inexperienced. She eyed the door; it was left ajar. If she could just get through that door…

"NO!" Elphaba cried again, more loudly.

Without thinking, letting her heart lead her, Anya leapt from her perch on the mattress. She pushed past the soldiers and through the door before they had time to react. She saw the Captain's back; Elphaba must have been in front of him. Anya jumped on his back, flailing, kicking him. She caught glimpses of Elphaba. More green was showing than Anya would have imagined, and Elphaba looked ashamed. The green woman hurriedly covered herself and fought with the guards who were coming to the Captain's rescue. Anya wouldn't make it that easy on him though.

She had her arms locked around his neck, and she was sure to put as much pressure on his throat as she could. He struggled against her, but she had caught him off guard and had the advantage.

Anya squeezed her eyes shut and choked the Captain, hoping, praying that Elphaba was okay. She opened her eyes in time to see Elphaba crumple to the ground. Anya let out a whimper as the Captain lost consciousness. He and Anya fell to the ground, and then the world went dark.


	12. The Hat

**A/N: Hello readers! I know I have somewhat abandoned this story, but inspired by NaNoWriMo, I decided to look up some of my longer stories. Altogether, this story clocks over 20,000 words, which I think is my longest yet. I started to read through some of it, and I felt sorry for letting it sit aside for so long. No promises on continuing, but I will post these last few chapters that I have written for it. Enjoy!**

When Anya awoke, she was startled by the utter darkness that surrounded her. It was as if she hadn't opened her eyes at all. Her head throbbed, and when she reached up to touch it, she realized that her hands were firmly shackled to a ring in the ground. She made a noise and struggled to raise her arms. Finally, exhausted, she gave up.

She couldn't believe what she had done. Attacking the Captain? More unbelievable than that, though, was that she had successfully choked him. She didn't know what they would do to her, but she suddenly didn't care anymore. She would give her life to defend Elphaba. The green woman obviously needed someone on her side, and Anya had gladly volunteered.

"Anya?" A voice, Elphaba's voice, asked weakly.

"I'm here," Anya replied, shocked at how small she sounded. She felt empowered, bigger than life. She had stood for something; she had made a small difference.

"Are you okay?"

"Never better," she replied, feeling optimistic despite their circumstances. She was running high on adrenaline, and she was completely confident in their escape. With or without Elphaba's approval, they _would_ escape.

"Good." Silence reigned again, and Anya struggled to see Elphaba in the darkness. The green woman spoke again, and Anya turned toward the sound. "I'm sorry you got dragged into this."

"I didn't. I jumped into it," Anya quipped, smiling ruefully.

"Well, either way," Elphaba said, her voice still retaining its sad quality. "I wish you wouldn't have gotten involved like that. I don't think I can protect you anymore."

"What do you mean? Protect me?"

Elphaba sighed. Anya could tell that there was something the green woman was hiding from her, something that she didn't want to be known. Anya could practically feel her struggling with it, and finally, she let it go. "When you were brought here, I made a deal."

"A deal?"

"That the guards wouldn't touch you. That they would only hurt me. You are so young, so full of life. I couldn't let them take that away from you."

Anya's breath caught in her throat. What? That's why the guards had not so much as looked in her direction? It was because of Elphaba? Was Anya the reason Elphaba had endured so much trouble? Anya couldn't believe what she was hearing. Guilt and relief washed over her in a confusing wave. Guilty that Elphaba had done that for her, and, at the same time, relieved that she had. Elphaba was right. Anya wouldn't have lasted one second under the torture that Elphaba had endured.

"Elphaba…" was all Anya could say, her voice choked from her emotion.

Elphaba took a deep breath, and Anya wished that she could see the green woman. The darkness oppressed them, made them as small and insignificant as the Wizard had wanted all along. Elphaba thankfully broke the silence, bringing them back to the world of the living.

"Would you like to hear more?"

Anya had forgotten once again about the green woman's story. She readily agreed to hear more. It was the only thing that would keep them sane, and it seemed to make Elphaba feel better.

"Before I could go to the Ozdust, something happened. Something wonderful…"

* * *

Elphaba inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. Galinda and Avaric, her surly boyfriend, were exchanging heated words. In the middle of the night. While Elphaba was trying to study. Words could not describe Elphaba's frustration at that moment, so she simply breathed, inhaling her anger and exhaling it once again.

"Look, Avvey, I'm sorry."

"No, you're not. The next thing I know, you'll be asking me to take green bean here to the dance." Elphaba didn't see the look that Galinda had given Avaric, but she assumed it was one of confirmation. Avaric exploded then, and Galinda tried to shush him. "So you're dumping me for that new prince, and my consolation prize is the asparagus? No, no way. I won't accept that!"

"Avaric! Shush! You'll get us in trouble!"

As if summoned by Galinda, someone knocked on their door. Everyone froze. Avaric was in the middle of his next sentence, his arms frozen in the air. Elphaba was sitting at her desk, an annoyed look on her face. Galinda looked shocked and scared.

"Hide!" Galinda whispered. Avaric just looked at her dumbly.

"Miss Upland?" It was Morrible!

"Avaric!" Galinda whispered again, becoming more nervous.

Avaric continued to stare at her dumbly, seemingly stuck to the spot. Elphaba rolled her eyes and stood up, crossing the room to him swiftly, quietly. She grabbed his shirt and dragged him into the bathroom.

"Tell Morrible we were listening to the radio," Elphaba whispered from the bathroom. She shoved Avaric in the room and closed the door just as Morrible entered.

"Ladies," she said, her voice screeching. Elphaba winced. She just couldn't get used to the imposing woman.

"Madame," Galinda and Elphaba said in unison.

"I've had a couple of complaints about your room." The woman moved stealthily through the room, looking everything over. "So…what in Oz has been going on in here?"

"Radio," Galinda said quickly, nervously. Elphaba resisted the urge to sigh. Morrible looked from one girl to the other, daring one to them to crack. When neither did, the woman sighed and turned to leave.

"Get to bed, girls. Mustn't have dark circles," she said before she closed the door behind her.

Galinda breathed a sigh of relief, and Elphaba opened the bathroom door to find a very scared looking Avaric. She rolled her eyes and stepped aside, allowing him to enter the room once again. She crossed over to her side of the room and sat to study once again, the interruption hardly phasing her.

"Fine," Avaric said, not quite as angrily as before. "I'll take the green—I mean, Elphaba. I'll do it."

Elphaba turned to look at him sharply. "You'll _what_?"

Galinda beamed up at him. "Oh, thank you, Avaric!" She crossed to her desk and pulled something out a drawer. "And would you kindly deliver this to Prince Fiyero?" She handed Avaric a pink envelope. He turned it over in his hands, a pensive look on his face. He reluctantly agreed and exited the room through the window, promising to pick Elphaba up for the dance.

"Galinda, why did you do that?" Elphaba asked angrily. She didn't want to be pawned off on some selfish brat of a boy. She had agreed to go as a favor to Galinda; she had no intention of even conversing with Avaric.

"I thought it would be fun," Galinda said, her voice distant. She had a warm smile on her face, one that made her even more beautiful than she normally was. Elphaba didn't have time to be jealous, for as soon as Galinda caught the green girl looking at her, she scoffed. "I needed to find someone for Avaric. I couldn't be feeling guilty during my date with the Prince, now could I? Plus, you needed some sort of escort. It's unseemly to go to a party un-chaperoned."

Elphaba stood and put her hands on her hips. "Miss Galinda, I only agreed to go to this silly party as a favor to you. I will_ not_ be chaperoned by Master Avaric. I refuse."

Galinda turned to Elphaba and placed her hands on her hips as well. Elphaba was reminded of the first day that they had met, the way that Galinda wouldn't back down. Both girls held their poses until Elphaba felt that she was ready to give in.

Luckily, Galinda beat her to it. "Fine!" She turned and started to sob. "I just—I thought that we were friends." _Friends_. The word hit Elphaba, slapping her across the face and making her heart ache. Were they friends? Was Elphaba neglecting her first friend because that friend was kind enough to find an escort for her? Elphaba had never felt such guilt.

"And now…now," the blond continued to sob. "Now I'll have to tell Prince Fiyero that I can't accompany him because my friend wouldn't go with Avaric. Such a silly excuse to miss a date." Galinda grabbed a tissue and blew into it theatrically.

Elphaba heaved a sigh. "Fine."

Galinda turned to her then, tears glistening in her eyes. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Oh, Miss Elphaba!" Galinda screeched, the tears nearly forgotten. "I shall have to go shopping tomorrow for a new dress. Prince Fiyero needs to know just how seriously in love with him I am."

"And a dress will show him that?" Elphaba asked, incredulous.

The blond jumped, unaware that Elphaba had been listening to her. "Yes, well, clothes define a person, now don't they?" Galinda looked Elphaba over, and Elphaba mistook her sneer for a smile. "I've got the perfect complement to your outfit," she said, turning to her closet and digging to the very bottom of a large pile of boxes. Galinda pulled the box out and opened it, carefully lifting out the contents as though it were a long lost treasure.

It was a black hat, old looking and pointy at the top. The color was faded in some places, and it had a well-worn quality about it. The brim hung low on half of the hat, concealing whoever was to wear it. The other half of the brim was pinned up as if by magic, revealing what its counterpart was trying to hide. The hat itself was a contradiction, something that upheld and then destroyed. Elphaba loved it immediately.

Galinda walked over to the green girl and nearly pushed the hat into her hands. "Granny gave this to me. An old heirloom, she said. Silly old woman," Galinda whispered.

Elphaba took it, and the coarse fabric brushed her skin, made it tingle. She had never thought that she would actually like something that Galinda had in her possession. The thought made Elphaba smile, an actual, genuine smile. Galinda looked surprised when Elphaba thanked her. The blond couldn't quite enjoy the prank she had pulled if Elphaba was going to be so nice about it. She complained of a headache and went to bed, pouting and thinking of Elphaba's smile.

* * *

"That's where you got your hat?" Anya asked, incredulous. She remembered seeing pictures in the paper of the Witch and her pointy black hat. It was a terrible fashion statement. "From Lady Glinda?"

"Yes," Elphaba said. Anya squinted in the darkness and could just barely make out a green foot. The Witch was sitting toward her left.

"So what happened? You went with Avaric?"

"Yes," Elphaba confirmed, and Anya could hear the small smile in her voice.

The two women were quiet for what seemed like an eternity. Anya wondered if it was that night at the Ozdust that made Avaric fall in love with Elphaba. She was musing this when the door opened a tiny crack. A man entered carrying a torch and two bowls with him. He closed the door quietly behind him. Even with the meager light of the torch, Anya could tell it was Avaric. Apparently, so could Elphaba.

"What are you doing here?" the green woman asked. Avaric moved toward her, and what the light illuminated was frightening. Elphaba's skin was covered in bruises and sores, almost as though her body was used as some sort of sick canvas. Anya fought the bile threatening to rise. Avaric inhaled sharply but didn't say anything. Instead, he produced a key and unlocked Elphaba's shackles. He handed her a bowl and crossed over to Anya, doing the same. He took a seat in between the two women, watching them eat.

"Well?" Elphaba asked, eating slowly, cautiously.

"I volunteered. I had to see you."

Anya could see Elphaba nod. "And why is that?"

"I had to tell you…before you heard it from some rotten soldier." Avaric's face was conflicted. He looked like he was fighting some unseen darkness, something that threatened to envelope them all and make them vanish.

"Tell me what?" Elphaba asked, undeterred. She either didn't notice Avaric's countenance, or it didn't frighten her.

"I have discovered why it is they have decided to execute you now."

Avaric paused, and Anya could tell that Elphaba was frustrated. "Spit it out, Avaric," she said, all no-nonsense.

"Glinda."

"Glinda?" Anya asked, not being able to prevent her confusion from becoming evident.

Avaric glanced at her and nodded. "She's being promoted to Grand Vizier, and she specifically requested Elphaba's execution for her induction ceremony."

Anya glanced over at Elphaba. The Witch had stopped eating and was staring at Avaric. "What?" she said finally, sounding scared for the first time.

"Elphaba, I'm sorry," Avaric said.

"Why?" Elphaba breathed. She looked as though someone had pierced her heart. The stricken look on her face made Anya terrified. She felt her optimism slipping.

"Lieutenant!" a man called from the other side of the door.

"Yes?" Avaric answered, clearly annoyed.

"The Captain is asking for you," the man replied.

"Of course," Avaric said under his breath. "I'll be right there!" he called.

He rose and dusted off his pants, crossing over to Anya and putting her back in the restraints. "Are these really necessary?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. The Captain has commanded that you must be in them at all times. He's going to come and check on you later today, from what I gather."

"How long have we been down here?" Anya felt compelled to ask because there was no window to even catch a glimpse of the outside world.

"Two days," Avaric answered. Unexpectedly, he leaned in close to her and whispered in her ear. "Please, please watch over her. She won't be in the best of moods. I'm going to go try and figure out what Glinda is trying to do. There has to be more than what is on the surface. Please, keep Elphaba sane." Anya nodded her agreement.

He went to Elphaba then and tenderly replaced her shackles. She sat listlessly, and Avaric was forced to retreat without so much as a goodbye from the green woman. He, thankfully, left his lantern, and Anya could see how conflicted the Witch looked.

"Elphaba?" Anya asked. The green woman merely shook her head.


	13. The Ozdust

**CHAPTER 13**

The Captain didn't visit them that day, thankfully. Anya didn't know what she would do if she saw the Captain again, but she knew that it could only end badly. She had drifted off to sleep at some point, only to be awoken by Elphaba's sobs. Anya's unease was increasing with every passing moment. Finally, Anya attempted to speak to the green woman.

"Elphaba?"

"Yes?" She sounded surprisingly composed. Anya was taken aback.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course."

Anya's suspicions were raised. Why was Elphaba acting as though nothing was out of the ordinary? "You know, Lady Glinda—"

"Please," Elphaba said, her voice pleading. "Please, let's not talk about that."

"Can we talk about something, anything? I think I may be going crazy," Anya admitted honestly. She felt as though the darkness were consuming her soul, that she was lost forever among the cold bricks of the prison.

"The Ozdust," Elphaba said.

"Yes. So how was Avaric?"

She smiled. "I really couldn't tell you. I hardly saw him the whole night. Like most people, I was too mesmerized by the Vinkun Prince."

* * *

Elphaba pulled the hat down over her head even further and tugged at her frock. Avaric sighed, having seen this happen way too many times on the way to the Ozdust. Elphaba rolled her eyes, content to ignore the boy next to her.

"I do wish you'd take that silly thing off," Avaric said, reiterating the complaint that he had had the moment he had set eyes on the green girl that evening.

"No," Elphaba replied curtly.

Avaric sighed again, more loudly this time. They were at the door to the Ozdust now, and Avaric handed the doorman their tickets. Elphaba didn't notice how the man threatened to burst out laughing at any moment, nor did she hear his soft chuckles after they had walked away.

"Please, please, for the love of the Unnamed God, will you take that hat off?" Avaric asked, panic filling his voice. His friends would not only see him with the green girl, but they would see him with the green girl who was more eccentrically dressed than usual. It was unbearable.

"Master Avaric," Elphaba said, turning to him sharply just before they entered the ballroom. "If you don't like being seen with me, then I suggest that you find someone else to accompany you."

Avaric was speechless, taken aback by just how willful and…beautiful…Elphaba really was. It was like he was seeing her for the first time. Entranced by her, mesmerized, he lifted a hand to touch her face. She stood stone still, not knowing how to react to his strange actions. Before he could reach her, however, someone called his name and the spell was broken.

"Avaric! How the hell are ya, man?"

Avaric turned away from Elphaba quickly, embarrassed by what had just happened. "Hey how are you?" he said to a man whose name he didn't even remember.

Elphaba, confused by what had almost happened, turned to the door of the Ozdust and pushed it open. She walked into the room like walking into a fairytale. The room was dark, with a disco ball in the middle and dancing couples in the center of the room. Around the edges were various refreshments and the band. She smiled, happy that Galinda had invited her to her first party. Elphaba was so happy that she was oblivious when the music crashed to a halt. But then she heard it—the unmistakable, indescribable sound of hundreds of kids making fun of her, laughing at her.

"Look at her!"

"Look at that hat. How horrendous!"

"Who does she think she is, coming here?"

She blushed deeply, taking off the hat quickly. She heard Avaric come in behind her, but, being thus unable to handle such ridicule, he quickly descended the stairs. She looked after him, angry and hurt.

And then she saw her. Galinda. The little witch who had played this awful trick on her. Elphaba blinked the tears away, set her jaw, and defiantly placed the hat back on her head. Snickers erupted throughout the room, but Elphaba ignored them. Focused completely on Galinda and her hatred for the girl, she descended the stairs.

She walked to the center of the dance floor, keeping eye contact with Galinda the whole time. People nearly catapulted out of her way, and soon she had a very wide berth in the center of the room. She didn't know what came over her, why she chose now to humiliate herself beyond recognition, but she started dancing.

She had never danced a moment in her life, and her movements now showed that inexperience. She jerked her arms this way and that, trying to mimic the motions she had seen the others doing. Some people laughed, but most people were shocked into silence, Galinda included. The blond felt so terrible about doing this to Elphaba. How could she have known that her prank would have backfired so horribly?

Elphaba closed her eyes, focusing on moving her body, forgetting about everyone and everything else. She faintly heard a rustling in the crowd, bodies moving, people murmuring to each other. She ignored it, breathing in and out.

Elphaba was startled out of her meditation by a hand in hers. Her eyes popped open quickly, and she was face to face with a dark skinned Vinkun boy. His eyes were warm, and his touch was tender.

"May I cut in?" he asked with a small smile.

Elphaba nodded dumbly, her mouth slightly open in shock. He pulled her to him then, close enough so that she could smell his scent, but not close enough to be considered inappropriate. He started dancing with her, leading her. The music started up again, and couples started dancing, still giving Elphaba plenty of room. Elphaba caught sight of Galinda standing dumbly in the corner. She looked completely confused, and Avaric was trying to comfort her while keeping an eye on Elphaba.

"You must be Miss Elphaba," the boy spoke smoothly.

She looked into his warm brown eyes and nodded. "How could you guess?" she asked sourly, referring to her skin.

He looked shocked but smiled nonetheless. "I suppose you would be hard to miss in a crowd," he said slowly. "It must be strange to be so popular around here."

Elphaba looked at him incredulously. "I'm not sure whether to be offended or intrigued."

He chuckled then, soft and low. "I was intrigued, if that helps. Ever since I got here, I have heard numerous yarns about the famously green Elphaba. You're practically a legend."

"Glad to know my reputation precedes me," she said bitterly, becoming more and more uncomfortable with the boy.

He was silent, and he looked confused. He wondered why this girl was so bitter, why she was so reluctant to his charm. He sighed, taking in the surrounding crowd. Galinda looked quite upset, which made him happy on a small level. He had a feeling that she had something to do with Elphaba's humiliation.

"So, what brings you here tonight? This doesn't seem like your kind of thing," Fiyero said innocently.

Elphaba scoffed. "Are you saying I don't belong?" Silence. "Well, you're right. I don't. In fact, I should be going." She attempted to pull her hand out of his, but he held tight.

"Please," he said. He looked sorry, confused, intrigued. She looked up at him, and he grinned sheepishly. "I only meant that you looked like I feel at these sort of things. Out of place. Different. Trust me, I didn't mean to offend you. It's actually kind of refreshing to see someone who isn't so taken by the glamour like most people."

Elphaba's brow furrowed, and they started dancing again. "But…aren't you Prince Tiggular?"

He chuckled again. "Yes, isn't it obvious?" he said, referring to his exotic Vinkun skin color the way that she had referred to her green hue.

"Well, I guess I'm just a little confused. I thought princes were supposed to enjoy these sorts of things. Plus, wasn't this little party arranged to bid you welcome?"

"You've certainly done your research," he said, smiling. "I suppose that's what it looks like outwardly."

"And inwardly?"

"Inwardly, I—"

"Prince Fiyero!" Galinda screeched, interrupting their dance and taking his arm.

Avaric went to Elphaba's side and guided her arm through his. They stood like that for a moment, two couples separated by a chasm of free space. Finally, Galinda cleared her throat and spoke.

"I see you've met my Prince Fiyero, Miss Elphaba."

"Yes," was all that Elphaba would answer. She was still angry with her roommate, her pride still bruised.

Avaric, who hadn't been introduced yet, cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uh, hi, I'm Avaric."

"Fiyero," the prince said, shaking Avaric's hand firmly.

The group was silent again. Elphaba looked at the floor listlessly, and Galinda looked up at Fiyero, begging him to excuse them. Finally, she took matters into her own hands.

"Well, we really must be leaving. Miss Elphaba, I'll see you later. Master Avaric," Galinda bowed, slightly pulling Fiyero away.

"It really was a pleasure, Miss Elphaba," Fiyero said, resisting Galinda's attempts to pull him away. "Master Avaric, I'm sure I'll be seeing you around."

Elphaba curtsied to him, and Avaric bowed slightly. Galinda finally succeeded in pulling Fiyero to the open bar, and Elphaba stared after them, confused by the Prince.

* * *

"So that's how you met Fiyero," Anya said, mystified.

"Yes, it was. I think some part of me fell in love with him right then."

"Was it the same for him?"

Elphaba chuckled. "Well, I don't know. I never asked him. I assume he had to have felt something, to save me from myself like he did. He was always a tenderhearted person, though."

Anya nodded in wonderment, completely entranced by the story that the woman was telling her. It was almost as if Elphaba had lived a fairy tale, that she was a princess who just needed rescuing from her tower. And Fiyero was her prince. Anya prayed to the Unnamed God for some miracle that would permit them to rescue Elphaba like the princess that she was.


	14. Secrets

**A/N: Thank you for all of the lovely reviews! :) It feels great to be back in the community. I'm not sure where this fic is going anymore (two years is quite a long gap!), but I'm working at it diligently to bring this to a satisfying end. :)  
**

**CHAPTER 14**

Days, weeks, months could have passed and Anya would have been none the wiser. Things had developed into a sort of routine. Every morning they were given their breakfast. The guards had taken to leaving them free of their restraints. Anya didn't know if it was because no other incident had happen or if it was because Avaric had used what little influence he had left to relieve them of the inconvenience. Either way, Anya was happy—all things considered.

During the day, Elphaba would tell the story of her life. Her past became their present, their future. It made their days worthwhile, it passed the time, it allowed them to feel human.

"After the dance, I saw Fiyero more and more. He was Galinda's boyfriend, after all."

* * *

"I'm going home," Elphaba said softly, watching Galinda and her Prince from afar.

"Huh?" Avaric, who had been absentmindedly twirling the ice in his drink, asked.

"Home. I'll see you later."

"Elphaba, wait. I'll come with you."

"What? Why?"

"What kind of date would I be if I let you walk home alone?"

Elphaba sighed. "Avaric, the dorms are just five minutes away. I think I can handle myself."

Avaric looked at her with an expression that told her that she wouldn't win this one. She sighed again, frustrated, but she didn't say a word when he followed her out of the door. The cool night air hit them, and Elphaba cleared her throat. Avaric, in a gesture completely out of character for him, took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She jumped, startled, but he looked genuine, so she thanked him.

They walked the way in silence, and it felt as though it took them much longer than five minutes to reach Elphaba's dorm. She awkwardly took off the jacket, thanked him again, and turned to enter the dorm.

"Wait!" Avaric said, grabbing her hand. She couldn't help but remember when Fiyero had done the same thing earlier that evening.

"Yes?"

"Elphaba…I—I had fun tonight."

Elphaba looked down at their still joined hands and shifted uncomfortably. Avaric seemed to notice the touch then and dropped her hand quickly. He cleared his throat and smiled sheepishly.

"Well…I guess I'll see ya around," he said, turning on his heel. He shook his head as he walked away from her, and she couldn't help but smile at how hopeless he had looked.

Elphaba climbed the stairs to her room slowly, deep in thought over what the night had brought her. Avaric, who had started off as a completely selfish boar had actually turned into a charming person. She had a tough time wrapping her head around that one. And then there was Fiyero, the boy who had come out of nowhere to save her from humiliation. And Galinda, the one person who she had expected to be nice to her who had actually betrayed her. Elphaba couldn't believe the twists in life sometimes.

When she reached the room, she immediately drew a bath and turned off all the lights. She lit some candles around the bathtub and submerged herself in the water, letting its warm caresses relieve her of worry for the time being.

Elphaba had been half asleep when the door opened, emitting Galinda and her new boyfriend. Elphaba jerked awake, sloshing the water in the tub. Luckily, she had closed the bathroom door enough so that she wouldn't be noticed. Her heart racing, hands clutching either side of the tub, she strained to listen.

"Oh, good, Elphaba's not here," Galinda was saying. Elphaba cursed herself for leaving the room dark.

"Tell me, Galinda, did you have something to do with that spectacle tonight?" Fiyero wasted no time getting to the point. Galinda lit the fire, and Elphaba could faintly make out his figure through the sliver of a hole where she had left the door slightly ajar. She nearly gasped when she saw Galinda go over to him and kiss him passionately on the lips. Elphaba turned her head away, blushing.

"Don't you worry about that, dearest," she purred.

Fiyero disentangled himself from her and moved to stand directly in front of the fire. He stood with his back to the bathroom, but Elphaba could tell that he was deep in thought. Careful, so as not to attract attention, she gingerly lifted herself out of the tub, wrapping a towel around herself.

"Could you really do something like that?"

"What makes you think I could?" Galinda asked then, sounding hurt and a little angry.

"Didn't you see the look that she gave you? You'd have had to be brainless to have missed it."

"Well, I didn't mean for _that_ to happen. I was just trying to play a little trick on her. I didn't know she would take it so seriously, and I definitely didn't know she's humiliate herself like that."

He turned to her then. "Why would you do something like that? You always seem so…sweet and innocent."

Galinda sighed. "I don't know, Fiyero. I guess I was just tired of having her skulking around all the time. Do you know, none of the other girls will even set foot in this room because that _thing_ lives here? You have no idea how that feels."

Fiyero shook his head. "You're right; I don't know how you feel. But I know how she feels."

"What?" Galinda asked, surprised.

He sighed. "You just don't get it. None of you do. All you see is my title as a Prince, and you assume that I'm accepted everywhere. The Vinkuns are the least established group in the Emerald City. That's why I'm here. My father thought that if I could make myself prominent at Shiz, I might have a chance of making the Vinkun voice heard in the Emerald City."

"I see…" Galinda said cautiously.

Elphaba saw him reach down and caress her cheek. "I'm sorry, darling. I didn't mean to go through all of that. My point is…just try being nice to Miss Elphaba. She's probably going through more than either of us could imagine."

Elphaba couldn't see Galinda's expression, but she assumed the blond was smiling. Fiyero returned the smile and kissed her deeply. Elphaba could tell that the Prince already loved her roommate, and this information shocked her. But there it was, right in front of her, evidence of their love.

"Alright, darling. I'll just head to the bathroom and then get out of here. I wouldn't want Miss Elphaba to find us like this."

"Yes," Galinda murmured. "I wonder where that girl has gotten off to."

Elphaba was sitting on the closed toilet in the bathroom panicking. She heard Fiyero's footsteps getting closer, and she had nowhere to go. She rushed to the other side of the bathtub and crouched behind it. Fiyero entered the bathroom, carrying a small candle for light.

He stopped at the toilet, and noticing the candles spread around the bathroom, started looking for the long lost roommate. He shut the door behind him and called her name gently. She peeked from her place from behind the tub and found herself staring directly into his brown eyes.

He smiled at her when she jumped. "Don't worry," he said. "Your secret's safe with me." He winked at her then and exited the bathroom. Elphaba heard him ask Galinda if she wouldn't mind seeing him out of the dorm, and Elphaba took that as her cue to exit the bathroom. She breathed a sigh of relief as she slipped between her sheets. When Galinda entered the room again, she noticed Elphaba and made a point to be extra quiet.

* * *

"So you guys made up?" Anya asked.

"Not quite yet. Almost, though."

"So then what happens? How does Fiyero go from being Galinda's boyfriend to being yours?"

Elphaba chuckled. "My, my, look who's impatient."

The door to the cell creaked open then, and Avaric entered. He silently gave Elphaba her food and then asked Anya to come with him.

"Avaric, what are you doing?" Elphaba demanded. She tried to stand, but stumbled back to the floor. Anya noticed that her ankle was badly swollen. How had she not noticed that before?

"Just give me one second, Elphaba," Avaric said, impatient and in a hurry.

Avaric clipped Anya's hands into handcuffs and led her out of the cell by her arm. She squinted as they made their way through the long corridor, the sunlight peaking through various windows. It was strange to see something other than the four walls of the tiny cell. Finally, they reached the end of the hall and entered a small room that was heavily lit with sunlight. Avaric took off the handcuffs and asked Anya to take a seat at the table in the center of the room.

"Sorry about being so abrupt. I don't have much time, and I have to tell you something."

"Okay…"

"I found your lover," Avaric said in a low voice.

Emotions that Anya didn't even know she could feel coursed through her. She wanted to ask a million different questions. How was he? Where was he? Was he safe? But her mouth could only wrap around one word: "What?"

"I found him, Anya. He says that he loves you."

She started crying then, joyful tears streaming down her face. She was happy to find out that he was still alive, that he hadn't forgotten about her. She looked into Avaric's face, thanking him with her eyes. He nodded, his face serious.

"There's something I must tell you. It's about Glinda, about her induction."

Anya face became dark. "Oh, did she decide that she wanted to murder me too?"

Avaric looked sorry then, and Anya assumed that it was true. She began crying more heavily, and Avaric was at her side in an instant. "No, it's not that. Just listen. Glinda has a plan—a plan to get Elphaba out of here."

"R—Really?" Anya hiccupped.

Avaric smiled. "Yes, really. I've been using this time to gather forces in the third quarter. We're getting you two out of here, Anya."

Anya allowed herself to smile back at Avaric. For a moment, she forgot that she was a prisoner. She could almost feel the power of the allies in the third quarter rallying for them. They would not die here. Elphaba would not die here. But soon, too soon, the dank smell of the dungeon brought her back to reality, and her face fell. "But how? Elphaba won't go along with this."

"You're right about that. Glinda has anticipated that, bless her, and her plan can be carried out without Elphaba's knowledge. In fact, it will only work if Elphaba doesn't know. But we do need your help."

"Anything. I'll do anything."

"Please, keep her safe. She won't be able to handle much more from the soldiers. Glinda is keeping them as occupied with the planning of the execution as she can, but where she falls short, I need you to pick up the slack. We've wanted freedom for Elphaba for so long, I don't think any of the Allies could bear it if she didn't walk free of these walls again."

Anya suddenly shuddered, remembering an earlier conversation with Elphaba. "But what if this escape goes against her idea of how she should spend her remaining days. I don't know her as well as you, Avaric, but I've gotten the idea that she doesn't _want_ the freedom we want for her."

Instead of wallowing with her, Avaric had the biggest smile Anya had ever seen on his face. "That's the best part, Anya. Glinda has found Fiyero."


	15. Friends

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews and support! And I'm sorry that this was dead for so long...but it *will* be finished by the end of the summer :)  
**

**Chapter 15**

Surprise could not begin to describe the emotion that Anya felt. "But how?"

Footsteps echoed in the hall, and Anya cursed their timing. They eventually passed, and Avaric rushed his words out in a quick breath while gently snapping her handcuffs back into place and escorting her out of the room. "I never believed that he died. I don't have much time to explain the circumstances, but Fiyero had disappeared from his castle. Elphaba had searched for him for at least a year before giving up and turning herself over to the mercy of Southstairs. But why would the Wizard kill him and not broadcast it for Elphaba to see? It didn't make sense to me…or to Glinda, it turns out.

"Once Glinda discovered that Elphaba was here and why, she searched for him as only Glinda could—by getting cozy with the Wizard and Morrible. She told me there was this girl that had come to the castle asking to get home. She had three companions with her, and Glinda believes that one of them was Fiyero. She had the Scarecrow arrested and has been trying to help him remember. She's just allowed me to see him…and I believe her suspicions. The Scarecrow is Fiyero."

"Wait…what?" Anya was baffled and couldn't understand how Prince Fiyero could be a Scarecrow. She supposed that some force of magic could have done it, but she couldn't fathom who would be so powerful. She didn't think that the Wizard was capable of any real power, and Elphaba had all but laughed at the suggestion that she had any magical power. So then who?

"No time. I know this doesn't make any sense to you. Just please, keep Elphaba alive. We're hoping that if the Scarecrow sees her, he'll remember that he's Fiyero."

Avaric walked her back to the cell then, but Anya felt more confused than she had before they had talked. Fiyero is alive? And a Scarecrow? And shouldn't she tell Elphaba about this? The poor woman was about to break, Anya could feel it. Wouldn't telling her about Fiyero's possible existence help her more than hurt her? But Avaric seemed convinced that secrecy was needed. So Anya would keep his secret…for now.

"You two have been gone for a while," Elphaba observed when they returned.

"The prison never did perform a medical examination for Anya. The Captain had demanded it." Avaric gave Anya a meaningful glance as he undid the handcuffs.

Anya could sense Elphaba's mood darkening. "Oh, really?"

"Not like that, Elphaba. I was there the whole time. And so was a doctor."

"It really was just an exam, Elphaba," Anya chimed in. She hoped that the green woman didn't hear the waver in her voice. Anya was not a good liar.

Elphaba gave Anya a strange look but let the matter drop. Soon Avaric left, and they were in the world of Shiz again, with a prince who was not yet made of straw.

* * *

The next week passed without so much as a peep out of Galinda. She was barely in the room anymore, and in all of the lectures that she and Elphaba shared, she sat in the back next to Fiyero. The Prince, who had seemed so understanding that night at the Ozdust, had been distant as well. Elphaba didn't really know why she had expected anything different. Thinking about Fiyero made her realize that she might have actually wanted to be his friend, and the disappointment that she felt at the lack of a friendship made her harden herself even more against her classmates and the world.

All Elphaba did was study. When her class assignments were done, she worked on her own projects. She was strangely obsessed with the Wizard and his politics. In short, he was her hero. He brazenly stood for Animal rights, even when there were powerful enemies who thought that Animals weren't worthy of rights. The Wizard even attempted to unite the different provinces, and he supported the Vinkun king and queen in their many wars against other tribes. She avoided books that focused on the Vinkus, however, and she resented the feelings that thinking of that western land stirred in her stomach.

Elphaba was contentedly skipping a chapter on the Vinkus in her history book when Galinda stormed in. She reeked of alcohol and was crying rather hysterically, even for her. Elphaba bit her tongue, determined not to care about her fickle witch of a roommate. But Galinda didn't wait for Elphaba to ask what was wrong.

"Stupid, stupid! Why is everyone so stupid?" Galinda squealed. Elphaba ignored her, but Galinda wasn't satisfied with getting no reaction from her roommate. "Miss Elphaba…you must have an opinion?"

Elphaba's head shot up, and she quirked an eyebrow. "I have many opinions. None that I'd care to share with you, however." She resumed reading, with a harsh, determined look on her face.

"Don't you want to hear what happened?" Galinda cried. "Are you happy to see me humiliated so?"

Elphaba scoffed. "I don't think you _could_ be humiliated, Miss Upland. I think you're too far up in the clouds for that."

"But it was horrible! Boq, the idiot, was trying to buy me a drink. I politely refused, as a lady who is already spoken for should, but he simply _had_ to buy me one."

"I fail to see the humiliation in that."

"Well, when he was bringing it to me, the oaf tripped over his tiny feet—please explain how _that_ could happen—and dumped the whole thing on my dress! This dress is ruined! And do you know what the worst part is?"

"I'm sure you'll tell me, whether I care or not," Elphaba murmured, disinterested.

"Everyone _laughed_! Not one person seemed concerned in the least bit. They called me—"

"Miss Galinda. I had hoped by not asking any questions or seeming at all interested, that you would desist. Since you haven't, I guess I'll leave you to your moping." Elphaba moved to gather her books.

Galinda sobbed more. "Elphaba, please. I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry for that awful trick I played on you. It must have been horrible. I don't think I realized until tonight how horrible it feels to have people laugh at you. I've always been the laugh-er, not the laugh-ee. It's terrible."

"So it is." Elphaba appraised her roommate for the first time since the betrayal. She really did look miserable, and Elphaba felt her heart melt just a bit. Perhaps this incident would make Galinda understand her a little better. Elphaba was just lonely enough to consider making amends.

"So you're not going?" Galinda sniffed when Elphaba lowered herself onto the edge of her bed.

"I suppose not. It's late anyway," Elphaba shrugged.

"Oh thank you, Elphaba! I don't think anyone else could understand what I've been through. I mean, honestly. Stupid Boq!"

"Indeed." Elphaba lay back in her bed and wondered if the blond was truly sincere. Only time could tell.

* * *

Time did prove Galinda's apparent change of heart to be genuine. Elphaba wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it for herself. Instead of rolling her eyes and making rude comments, Galinda was actually including her roommate in her life. It started small at first, with both girls being too shy to truly open up. But now, the girls were nearly inseparable. Which was wonderful for Galinda, who felt as though she had waltzed through life without experiencing true friendship until her relationship with Elphaba. But Elphaba was having a harder time acclimating to the world that was Galinda.

It seemed that every day, another party or ball or outing was "mandatory attendance," as Galinda had put it. Being Galinda's main confidant meant actually pretending to care about the frivolities of her world. While Elphaba couldn't quite muster up the enthusiasm that Galinda required, the blond girl let it slide, for she really did enjoy having Elphaba around. The green girl, while being odd and not quite fitting in all the time, offered a sympathetic ear and actually made Galinda think about more than herself. Galinda was astonished by the turn of events and her new friend, but she was happily surprised.

While Elphaba was enjoying being included for the first time in her life, her new acceptance in Galinda's circle afforded an uncomfortable closeness to the Vinkun Prince. They both orbited the same sun, after all. Fiyero was civil and quite pleasant, but he never again mentioned their dance or their secret in the bathroom. While Elphaba shouldn't have felt slighted by his silence, she couldn't help herself from feeling miffed. Perhaps it was because he was the first person to actually treat her like a human being? Trying to understand her feeling of disappointment at his seeming reluctance to be any closer to her was a topic that seemed to constantly run through her brain. Since she felt pushed away by Fiyero, she was happy to turn icy whenever he was around.

"Honestly," Galinda had said one night at the bar the group liked to frequent. "I feel like you two really hate each other." Her eyes had shifted from Fiyero on one side of her to Elphaba on the other. When they both denied the accusation in lukewarm tones, the blond sighed. "Well, I'll have you know that both of you are important to me, and I think you really would get along if you would give it a shot."

Best friend and boyfriend had promised to try, but their relationship didn't improve. In fact, it had seemed to worsen. Now, Fiyero and Elphaba didn't exchange two words without prodding from Galinda. Elphaba couldn't understand why Fiyero, who had been so welcoming that night at the Ozdust, would turn on her and seem to truly dislike her presence.

Unfortunately, attention from another boy hadn't ceased since the Ozdust. Avaric had gone from detesting the "green bean," to actually enjoying her company, to actively pursuing her. Elphaba still couldn't decide if she liked Avaric or not, but she did tolerate his presence whenever he crashed their outings.

But Oz, how she dreaded the party that Galinda was going to drag her to that night. The semester had ended, and everyone in the group had passed without as big of a struggle as had once been anticipated (mainly thanks to Elphaba's helpful tutoring). Galinda, in true Galinda form, had declared the last day of class a "Genuine Galinda Holiday" and had insisted that everyone have at least one drink at the party of a friend of a friend.

Elphaba acquiesced, only to immediately regret her decision when both Fiyero and Avaric climbed into their carriage. Boq, with whom Elphaba had developed a strange, comfortable relationship with, wouldn't be able to attend. Galinda was gushing, Fiyero was pouting, and Avaric was mooning over Elphaba. The green girl sighed, accepting her fate for the evening.

When they arrived at the party, Elphaba immediately found a corner to sulk in. Avaric dutifully fetched her a drink, and Fiyero and Galinda began dancing. As the night wore on, Elphaba had allowed herself to be pulled to the dance floor by Avaric's amorous supplications. She could feel herself bending to his charm just a bit, only to be completely undone when Fiyero glared at them from the sidelines as they danced. He hadn't so much as glanced at her the whole night, and now he was looking at her with a strange expression on his face. Elphaba didn't understand, but she felt herself go rigid at his scrutiny. Avaric noticed the change and held her more delicately.

"You okay?" he whispered.

"Mm." She could neither confirm nor deny. She could only ignore, which she accomplished until the dance was over. She returned to her corner, and Avaric went to fetch her some water. She was startled when the Prince sidled over to her, but she had learned throughout the weeks they were forced to coexist that his swagger meant that he was slightly drunk. She sighed, fearing that his new attention could turn vile. While he had never been mean to her, per se, she still took offence to his strange silent treatment.

"Where's Galinda?" Elphaba asked. Attack before the enemy can.

He blinked. "Huh?" Then her comment registered. "Oh, she found some friends and is gossiping. I grew tired of that." He smiled at her then. "And how are YOU, Miss Elphaba?" he slurred happily.

"I'm just great, thanks."

He moved closer to her, so that they were standing side-by-side, arms touching. "You looked like you were having fun out there."

"Mm."

He faced her then, and she could feel his gaze burning into the side of her face. She refused to meet his eyes. "Let's be friends," he said suddenly.

"I thought we were," Elphaba said, shrugging. While she didn't think he was very warm to her, she did think that he meant well. Plus, he was Galinda's boyfriend. That counted as friends, right?

"You know what I regret?" he asked, his voice sounding sober for the first time.

She glared through the crowd, searching for Avaric. He was taking an unusually long time, and when she spotted him laughing with a group of friends, her glare morphed into a full-on scowl.

"You know what I regret?" Fiyero repeated, oblivious to Elphaba's scowl and general lack of interest.

"What's that?" she seethed in Fiyero's general direction.

"I regret that night at the Ozdust."

Her heart dropped for reasons that she couldn't discern, and she made a move to leave him standing there by the wall. He grabbed her arm then, with a purpose that made her stop her retreat and look up into his eyes for the first time. They were glowing with what had to be the alcohol, but the longer she looked at him, the more his eyes seemed to sparkle with some kind of fire that made the place where his hand touched her arm smolder.

"You misunderstand, Miss Elphaba. I don't regret meeting you. I do, however, regret the awkwardness after. I'm sorry for that. It's my fault. I was…well, anyway." Elphaba wished he would finish the thought that he started, but he didn't seem interested in following that train of thought. "Can we be friends?" he asked again, with more sincerity and less drunkenly. He had seemed to sober up rather quickly, and the intensity of his gaze made Elphaba's heart quicken.

"Sure," she breathed, aware again of the pressure of his hand on her arm. She looked down at the hand that was holding her back, and that seemed to snap Fiyero out of whatever trance he was in.

He let her go and smiled easily, the drunken joviality claiming his features again. "Good," he said before he ambled away just as easily as he had approached her. She brooded for the rest of the night, and couldn't even be brought out of her slump by Galinda tripping over her heels on the way home and taking both men to the ground with her. Elphaba had just offered a hand to help and chewed on her bottom lip.

* * *

Elphaba sighed as she recalled that time in her life. Anya could sense that the green woman was torn between enjoying the memory and regretting reliving it, because those times could never be again. Anya felt Avaric's request to keep their plans secret gnaw at her mind. How would Elphaba feel if she knew that her lover lived? As a Scarecrow, but still animated, still Fiyero under all the straw. What sort of relief would she feel to know that he was safe? Could treading through these old memories become easier if she knew they had a happy ending?

"Elphaba?" Anya started. The secret was killing her, and she hated to see the green woman she had grown quite fond of suffer for no apparent reason.

"Yes, sweet?" Elphaba asked, her voice still dreamy from the recalled encounter with Fiyero.

"Fiyero…" Anya had started, only to be interrupted by a rustling at the door. It swung open on creaky hinges then, allowing entry to the Captain.

He looked livid, and Anya dreaded what was on his mind. She made to throw herself in front of Elphaba, but realized that he was headed in her direction anyway. He sneered at her and grabbed her arm roughly. Elphaba jumped up and attempted to attack the Captain, but was held back by two large soldiers.

"Our deal?" she practically shouted at him, anger and frustration easily making her voice cut like a knife.

"Null and void, my dear, not that it matters. I'm just taking her for a checkup."

Elphaba's eyes narrowed to thin slits, and Anya could feel the green woman's gaze shift to her face. "Checkup?"

"C'mon." The Captain tugged her out of the cell, and Anya could barely make out the dawning of realization on Elphaba's face as the cell door swung shut behind them. Anya felt like she had betrayed Elphaba, and the feeling was worse than anything the Captain could do to her.


	16. Almost Kiss

**A/N: Sorry for the awfully long absence! I have been skulking around on FF but have had some trouble with this story...it's mainly Elphaba's story that is holding me back, believe it or not! Young Fiyero and Elphaba are having minds of their own and not behaving! I'm moving this weekend (from the midwest to the mountains..eek!) so expect an update toward the end of next week. Thank you so much for reading and keeping me honest with my commitment to finish this story :)  
**

**Chapter 16**

Anya was glad it had been her that the Captain had taken. While his dirty hands groped her body, she thought of her lover, of escape, of reuniting Elphaba with Fiyero. When he was finished, he spat at her and called her names. But Anya would not cry. She held her face in steely indifference and counted the seconds until she would be returned to the room with Elphaba. He slapped her, kicked at her, but eventually grew tired of her, and they returned to the cell.

Elphaba was slumped in the corner, whether from sleep or unwanted unconsciousness Anya couldn't tell. The Captain motioned to his guards and thankfully left without laying a finger on Elphaba. Anya was as swift as her aching body would let her be in reaching her friend. The green woman stirred and then shrank from Anya's touch.

"Stay away," she growled.

"Elphaba…"

"Don't treat me as though I'm daft, girl! I may not be all that the Wizard claims, but I'm not oblivious. Something is going on, and I don't appreciate the secrets. I think I've had enough of that already in my lifetime."

"Elphaba, I'm sorry. Truly, I am. Please, there is nothing going on."

The woman scowled at her. "Please. Please don't treat me as an animal. I'm not blind. Avaric and you are up to something." When Anya didn't agree or disagree, Elphaba became indignant. "Well, if your plan is to rescue me, you might as well not. I've told you my intentions, and I would rather die by the Wizard's hand than cause more strife. Can't you see how useless my life is? Why do you insist on making a fuss? This is exactly what the Wizard wants, can't you see?"

Anya was becoming angry at Elphaba's words. They were risking everything for her, and she still failed to see her value, how her death could undermine everything the Resistance was working toward. "And what of Glinda? Have you thought of what she wants?"

Elphaba's face darkened. "I couldn't give a care what Glinda is thinking or wants or cares about. Her mind has been infiltrated, just like the rest of you. Just leave me be, and let me die in peace!"

Anya couldn't stop the tears of frustration from running down her face. "He raped me, Elphaba! And all I could think about was getting you out of here. Doesn't that count for something? Can't you think of someone but yourself?" Anya spat the last question at the woman and collapsed, her sobs shaking her small frame.

She didn't jerk from Elphaba's embrace like she wanted to. Rather, she let the woman rock her gently, singing a quiet tune to try and calm her tears. Once the tears were spent, she stayed in the warm embrace, heaving and embarrassed by her outburst.

"I'm sorry, my sweet. It's ok. I'm sorry that this happened. I'm so sorry. But can't you see? If not for me, you wouldn't have had to endure this pain. I have to end my miserable life, for each passing day, more misery is created."

Anya sighed. "Elphaba, I'm sorry that you feel that way. But there are many people who believe that you are still the answer to the corruption in Oz. And I happen to be one of them. If you don't want to escape, fine. But at least be sympathetic to those of us who would like to see you free. It hurts when you push us away."

Elphaba flinched, then drew Anya closer to her. "I'm sorry," she kept repeating. Anya and Elphaba cried some more at their situation, at their lives, at lost loved ones, but Anya had finally grown tired of sobbing and asked to hear a story.

* * *

Elphaba soon learned that friendship was a word that elicited the most tenuous and trying connection to humanity she had encountered thus far. Galinda's friendship was easy, in its frivolous talk and parties. Boq and even Avaric were easy to be friends with as well, as they never demanded more from her than she was ready to give. But when the word friend was applied to Fiyero, all of the consistencies that Elphaba had found with her other friends didn't seem to apply.

He called for her at odd times, and he had a knack for making her squirm that even Galinda noticed. He seemed to enjoy teasing her, and he was very good at it. He even tried studying with her in the library. It was odd to see the Prince surrounded by the dusty tomes, but Elphaba couldn't complain. He was the only friend who seemed to really understand her for who she was, and not what they wanted her to be. None of Galinda's makeovers, none of Avaric's affections. Fiyero and Elphaba's time together was just about them, and the closeness that they soon felt showed the work they had put into their friendship.

After the end of their first year, when Galinda insisted that they go out to celebrate, Elphaba thought about the last end of semester party she had been to. She was dreading this one significantly less, even though Avaric's affections were getting more desperate and annoying to her.

"So, what's this with you and Avaric?" Fiyero had noticed her discomfort and had questioned her about it the week before.

Elphaba bit her bottom lip, turned a page in the book she was reading, and thoroughly ignored his question. This had been when they were studying for finals in the library, Elphaba intensely, Fiyero with decidedly less fervor. Instead of studying his math book, he studied his friend's face.

"Well?" he asked again.

Elphaba looked up, clearly annoyed. "Why so curious suddenly?" She didn't try to hide her frustration with him. Her final was the next day, and she was far from ready.

"You're all I hear about from him recently. Since we've been hanging out more, he's been pumping me for information. I'm just wondering how you feel about it, since you've been mysteriously silent on the issue. It's not like you to be so quiet." His mouth lifted in a half-smile at his last statement.

She sighed. "I wish _you'd_ be quiet for once."

His grin turned into a full-fledged smile. "That's more like it. But you're not going to distract me from this topic. So out with it. Are you going to have his babies or not?"

She made a face and swatted at him from across the desk. "I'm not having children. Now, go and report that, and leave me in peace."

Fiyero's face fell. "No children?" He sat contemplative for a moment, and Elphaba returned to her studies, hoping to actually pass the class with an A. "What about the activities leading up to children?" he finally asked more innocently than Elphaba would have thought possible.

Elphaba couldn't hide the blush that she felt in her cheeks. She looked up at him, and he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "No. Thank you," she said as dryly as possible.

"Avaric's going to be disappointed," he teased.

"Yes, well. Sorry about that."

Fiyero laughed. "I bet you are, heartbreaker."

So, a week later, when they had all piled into the carriage on the way to the party, Fiyero was careful to divert Avaric's attention from Elphaba. Elphaba was relieved. She figured that if it had taken her this long to make up her mind about Avaric, then he wasn't the right one for her. Still, he was a nice boy, all things considered, and she had hated to see him get hurt. So she kept her feelings hidden from him.

Galinda was as perky as ever. She was dressed in a new fluffy pink dress and was chattering happily with everyone in the carriage. She hugged Fiyero's arm, and only Elphaba noticed him slightly pull away from his girlfriend. She caught his eye and raised an eyebrow, but he only shrugged.

Once they got to the party, Avaric was quick to pull Elphaba into a dance. Fiyero and Galinda were dancing close to the couple, and Elphaba shot Fiyero daggers for not helping her avoid this fate. He smiled and shrugged, but when Avaric went for drinks during the next song and Elphaba became a wallflower, Fiyero walked up to her.

"Sorry about that. He's awfully eager. Perhaps you should let him down easy tonight?"

Elphaba looked for Galinda and noticed her giggling with a group of school friends. She hated to talk about Avaric in front of Galinda…her roommate got positively _mushy_ at the thought of them as a couple. Elphaba groaned. "This is why friends are messy. Why does he have to like me?"

"Why wouldn't he?" Fiyero turned toward the dancing crowd, but Elphaba didn't miss the color that rose in his cheeks.

Avaric ambled toward them then, two drinks sloshing in both hands. Elphaba groaned again. Fiyero glanced over at her and smiled.

"I'll rescue you just this once, but you'll have to tell him tonight before he confesses his love," Fiyero said, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the dance floor. "Sorry, Avaric, I love this song," he called over his shoulder at a disappointed-looking Avaric.

The two friends stood awkwardly in the middle of the floor for a moment, gently swaying with the music. The song shifted to a slower, more romantic song, and Elphaba immediately felt the mood between them change. Fiyero glanced in her eyes with a soft look that was strange from him. She hadn't seen that look since the first time they had met at the Ozdust. He pulled her close to him then, and they began swaying with the music.

That slow boiling flame that Elphaba had felt, and subsequently denied in favor of their friendship, that night at the Ozdust returned in full force and seemed to burst into a blazing fire of desire within her heart. Every nerve seemed to awaken at his touch. Her fingers tingled as they played with the collar of his shirt. Her legs felt as though they were made of putty, and the place where Fiyero's hands wrapped around her waist was on fire with his touch. Elphaba struggled to remind herself that she was dancing with her best friend's boyfriend, not her own.

"Elphaba…" Fiyero whispered, his breath stirring the hair by her ear. She shivered, and he pulled her a bit tighter. "I have something to tell you."

"What's that?" she breathed, impressed that she was able to speak at all.

"Do you remember that night last semester? When we all went to a party?"

She nodded. Of course she remembered that night. He pulled back a bit and looked at her face.

"I must admit; I had ulterior motives for wanting to be your friend."

Elphaba tensed and instantly cooled, and Fiyero winced at the obvious change in demeanor. "Which were?"

Fiyero looked at her then with such an open face that Elphaba was taken aback by the emotion she saw there. She had seen Avaric look at her like that plenty of times, but Fiyero had kept his face a mask of indifference around her until this very moment it seemed. When she scrutinized his expression, she saw a mix of sadness and…was it?…longing?

His hand moved from her waist to cup her face. "I'm not sure if it's proper to tell you," he whispered, his face inching closer to hers.

"And why not?" she whispered back, her hand tangling in the hair at the base of his skull now.

The fire in her heart threatened to engulf them both. She knew that he felt it; the twist in her stomach was undeniable and certainly quite clear on her face. He smiled a bit sheepishly and bent a bit more so that their noses brushed. Elphaba ceased to breathe.

"Elphaba!" Avaric hollered from his spot by the wall. His voice was all it took to break their trance, and Elphaba ripped herself from Fiyero's grip. They both blushed deeply and cleared their throats.

Fiyero rubbed the back of his neck where her fingers had just been. "I guess you'd better go to him. I'll find Galinda." His voice was lower, huskier, than usual, and it made Elphaba melt. She nodded dumbly and stumbled back to Avaric.

"What was that?" Avaric asked, his tone accusatory.

Elphaba, who was still mesmerized by the spell her friend had put on her, scowled vaguely in Avaric's direction. "None of your concern."

"I think it is. And Galinda's too. It looked like you two almost kissed."

Elphaba blushed furiously. "Even if that were true, I fail to see how it's your concern. And Fiyero loves Galinda. He's there with her now, see?"

And they could see the couple from their spot on the sideline. Galinda looked content, as usual, and seemed to melt into Fiyero's arms. Fiyero looked…well, he looked at Elphaba.

Avaric scoffed. "I can't believe I didn't notice this before. How long have you two been cheating?"

Elphaba looked at him, then, angry at the assumption that her (previously) completely platonic and innocent relationship with Fiyero had been nothing but cheap thrills and cheating. "We haven't been. We're just friends. You must be going blind if you think there's anything else there. Why would there be, when he has Galinda?"

Avaric's answer ("I'm not sure") hurt more than Elphaba had cared to admit. She spent the rest of the night sulking and refused to speak, even to Fiyero.

After the party, Elphaba had succeeded in avoiding both Fiyero and Avaric, though by what act of providence, she wasn't sure. Summer break was upon them, and while none of them had gone home to their families, their group was still fragmented. Galinda and Fiyero were spending more and more time together, and Avaric seemed to still be angry with Elphaba, although he hadn't breathed a word of his suspicions to Galinda.

Elphaba had contended herself with studying for her upcoming semester, focusing mainly on politics and random spells for her upcoming required sorcery class. She disliked magic, having never been very gifted in that area, but she had promised her roommate that she would suffer through it for her. Galinda had really turned into quite the witch, Elphaba had observed with a small smile.

* * *

"I bet Fiyero didn't like you keeping your distance," Anya observed. She had recovered from the trauma and the anger that had gripped her after the assault. Instead, it was as if the whole ordeal was a dream, and Anya couldn't seem to shake the haze that made her vision swim.

"No, sweet, I suppose he didn't. But he also didn't try to push it, which confused me at the time. I see the logic in his decision now." Elphaba was at Anya's side, running her hands soothingly through Anya's hair and speaking in a soft, comforting voice.

"Why didn't he try to see you? It's obvious that he loved you."

Was that a blush that covered the green woman's face? Even in Southstairs, modesty existed for the Witch. "Well, he had Galinda to think of. We were all so close, and he knew how I loved Galinda. I couldn't bear the thought of bringing her pain." Her tone of voice changed into a sharp staccato. "The same couldn't be said for her, I'm afraid." Both of the women's minds went to Elphaba's impending execution at Glinda's request.

Anya sighed. "Elphaba, do you really think Glinda would do something so cruel?"

The sadness in Elphaba's eyes was tangible. "I'm not sure anymore. I just don't know."


	17. Is It Worth It?

**AN: Hello again! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and followed this story! Be warned-this chapter gets a bit dark. But there's some nice Fiyeraba here too!**

**Chapter 17**

"He WHAT?!" Avaric bellowed. Anya had drifted into a stupor shortly after hearing the latest part of the witch's story, her body rejecting the violence that it had been put through. She wasn't sure how long she had lain on the dirty ground, her head in Elphaba's lap. She felt heavy, lethargic, and generally unable to move or speak. She wondered briefly if she were going insane. She was vaguely aware of Elphaba relaying the story of her "checkup" to Avaric in hushed tones.

"Keep your voice down!" Elphaba hissed.

Avaric ran his hands through his hair and set their food on the floor of the cell. Anya felt her body flinch at the loud sound the bowls made on the stone.

"Are you trying to draw attention to us?" Elphaba whispered again, more insistent this time.

"Sorry," Avaric managed to mumble. He ran his hand through his hair again, an obvious reaction to stress. "What can we do?"

Elphaba sighed. "I'm not sure. She's not doing so well. I knew this would happen; that's what made me make that stupid bargain in the first place. Why would the Captain disregard our agreement?"

"Perhaps he thought that hurting her would break your spirit. He feels he's already broken your body…I overheard him talking about…you…"

Avaric sounded miserable, like a man who had lost the only ray of hope he was clinging to. Anya desperately wanted to comfort him, but she couldn't seem to do more than blink her eyes insistently. Why did she feel so powerless, so paralyzed?

"Avaric," Elphaba said softly, more softly than Anya would have thought possible. "None of this is your fault. The sooner you realize that, the more at peace we both will be."

"Please," he was weeping now, his head buried in his hands. Elphaba shushed him and motioned him over. He buried his head in her shoulder, and Elphaba wrapped the arm that wasn't supporting Anya's body around his neck, stroking his hair soothingly. Anya could feel his sobs travel through Elphaba's body and rock her into a gentle slumber.

* * *

Anya wasn't sure how long she had been unconscious. It could have been minutes or days. Avaric was gone now, but Elphaba hadn't moved them from their spot on the floor. The green woman was still cradling Anya, with her head leaned back against the stone wall and her eyes closed. Anya couldn't tell if she was sleeping or not.

Anya tried to stir but felt that her body still felt unnaturally heavy. Why was she feeling this way? She didn't think that the Captain had broken any bones…none that would cause paralysis anyway. Her mind still felt like mush, and she had a fleeting thought that perhaps her brain had built a wall against her body so that she could feel no more pain. And, indeed, she felt no physical pain. But the anguish of not being able to move was enough torture for a lifetime. A small whimper escaped her throat, and even that small sound ignited a fire in her throat.

She felt insane, trapped inside her mind with no way out. She couldn't help but think of her lover, of the Resistance, and of Glinda's plan to rescue Elphaba. She hoped that her friend would make it out alive and that she would lead the Resistance to victory. She hoped that she would live long enough to see his face again, just once. Just one more smile from him, one more touch, and she could die in peace.

She made a small sound between a whimper and a moan. She must not think of the future…the hope of something better than this was enough to crush what was left of her spirit. It was better to just accept her fate and forget happiness, forget sunlight, forget freedom. She was a ward of the prison now, a waif condemned to die here, and she wouldn't escape. She was quite certain of that now. She hoped beyond hope that Elphaba would escape, but she doubted that now as well. Her spirit crumbled, and her vision clouded with unshed tears.

Her mind was oscillating between the despair of her imminent death in the prison and a desire above all desires to see her lover again. Even if she did escape, she would not live long, and the thought of seeing him for just a moment both excited and crushed her more. He would hardly recognize her, she was sure of that. She was broken, a thing utterly different than the woman who had first been thrown in prison. She didn't want his last memory of her to be associated with the being that she now was. The Wizard had won, and she was lost forever.

Elphaba stirred and rubbed soothing circles on Anya's arms. The kindness was enough to make her weep, and Elphaba must have sensed her consciousness, for she shifted Anya's weight so that the green woman's face was hovering in her vision constantly.

"Hello, my pet," Elphaba cooed. Anya nearly laughed, delirious with the thought of the Wicked Witch of the West being the last human to offer her kindness. A giggle did escape, and Elphaba's brow furrowed. "I know you must be confused and hurt, but you must come to your senses. Do not let them win. Please. Come back from the precipice."

Precipice? Anya felt her mind letting go of the pain and terror, and a strange peace had enveloped her. She felt on the edge of no precipice. She finally felt free.

"Anya? You must find yourself. Don't give up. Please." The woman's voice hitched at the entreaty, and Anya had to stifle another giggle. Give up? How could she not? Did this woman not see the futility? The Witch would survive and lead the Resistance, but Anya would die, another casualty for the Wizard. There was no salvation from the madness, besides death. The more she existed in her mind, the more she was convinced that not even her lover could save her. He wouldn't love her anymore anyhow, after the Captain had touched her. How could he? How could she ever enjoy even his gentle touch again? She would rather die.

"Anya?" Elphaba was shaking her gently now. How long had she been trying to get her attention? "Please, cling to humanity. There is hope. Avaric has been in constant contact with Yero. Why did you not tell me he was named after Fiyero? Did you think I would be hurt? Many Vinkuns are named after the royal family…I have met several Fiyeros in my lifetime. Only one that spoke to my heart, but many who were competent and wonderful men. Your Yero sounds wonderful, Anya. He worries about you, especially after Avaric told him what happened…" Elphaba seemed to be crying now. "He loves you, Anya. He plans to kill the Captain himself. He loves you. He misses you, and he will never forgive me if you don't survive. So please, please come back."

Too much, too much emotion, swirling and confusing the peace that she had felt. Yero? Fiyero? Had that been his name? Had she intentionally avoided saying it to spare the woman's feelings? Was she capable of such empathy? Anya wasn't sure. How did Elphaba know? She could be lying…but how would she know Anya's secret name for him? How? Her mind quivered, and she felt her body shiver in response.

Cling to humanity…but how? He may not throw her away, but could she look at any man the same anymore? Could she feel love again? She doubted…she doubted. But she believed in the woman. In Elphaba. She still believed that her rescue was more important than everything else. Anya would not die in vain. Her death must be for the uprising of the Resistance. And if the green woman needed to believe that Anya was still there, then Anya must act as if she felt something other than the vacuum of futility swallowing her up. She must convince the woman that she could survive. She must find something to let her mind cling to…

"Story," she managed to croak.

Elphaba's lips twitched in a small smile. Anya recognized the look in her eyes. Hope. Yes, Anya may be able to fool the witch yet. "Yes, my sweet, I will tell you a story…"

* * *

Fall semester started with much less fanfare than their first semester at Shiz. Elphaba was already regretting her agreement to take the sorcery seminar with Galinda. She had studied all summer and still couldn't manage a simple illumination spell. Galinda learned it in fifteen minutes and went shopping afterwards. Elphaba just sighed and studied harder.

She and Fiyero had been forced to coexist in Galinda's world over the summer, but they were never alone together and acted as if they were never friends of their own accord. What Avaric had nearly witnessed was enough to scare Elphaba into forgetting about her feelings for the Vinkun Prince. She couldn't afford to break Galinda's heart, so she offered her own up as sacrifice.

Avaric had begrudgingly forgiven her and had been taking her out on pseudo dates—the coffee shop, the library, the bookstore. She liked Avaric fine, and he seemed to like her enough to tolerate her antisocial ways. Her feelings for Avaric were nothing like the fire that burned in her at the thought of being with Fiyero, but she couldn't deny the small smolder of a flame that rose when Avaric held her hand or kissed her cheek. It was nice to feel wanted.

Besides the dreaded sorcery class with Galinda, Elphaba had only one class with any of her other friends—Life Sciences, with both Fiyero and Avaric, as luck would have it. Elphaba ignored Fiyero's narrowed eyes as she and Avaric held hands on the way to their seats. He never did seem to enjoy seeing them together, although Elphaba couldn't understand his negative attitude. Didn't they have this unspoken agreement not to break Galinda's heart? Didn't he still kiss and cuddle with Galinda in their shared dorm room until Elphaba had to sigh and ask him to leave? It hurt her too much for words to see him with someone else, but she was able to forgive the pain in exchange for Galinda's happiness. So why could he not seem to be able to handle seeing her happy with Avaric?

And so the semester went. Elphaba fumbled with sorcery, exchanged heated glares with Fiyero, and fell into a slow, comfortable romance with Avaric. Her first kiss, which she had agonized about with Galinda for weeks before it actually happened, was slow and sweet. Avaric was quite the romantic when he wanted to be. He brought her flowers, took her to plays, and held and kissed her in public. She was slowly able to forget the inferno with Fiyero and focus on the slow burn with Avaric.

Avaric had been slowly chipping away at Elphaba's heart, and she thought that she might love him. He had said the words to her one night, late, as they lay in bed cuddling, and she had nearly whispered them back. Something had stopped her, but she couldn't deny the giddy and weightless feeling she had when she was with him. She would tell him, and soon.

As the semester wore on, Fiyero seemed to accept the idea of Avaric and Elphaba and even suggested a double date, which Galinda had squealed over for a week before they could all clear their schedules for the same time on a Friday night. Avaric and Fiyero arrived together, each carrying a bouquet for their respective dates. Elphaba blushed and kissed Avaric gently, but in all of her happiness she couldn't miss the way that Fiyero had clenched his jaw.

Why was he still so caught up on something that could never and would never happen? Why couldn't he just be happy with Galinda, like everyone wanted him to be? Elphaba didn't know the answers, but she did know that she almost didn't care anymore. But a little part of her heart still yearned for the Prince in a way that she yearned for nothing else, not even a perfect grade in sorcery. She squelched that part of her with another indulgent kiss with Avaric.

Fiyero's jaw was clenched the entire night, and Elphaba couldn't help but feel uncomfortable under his intense gaze. His mood swings were giving her whiplash, and her anger flared and threatened to engulf the jovial mood that Avaric and Galinda insisted on maintaining throughout the evening.

During dinner, he finally unclenched his jaw long enough to ask her to speak with him privately. Elphaba quirked an eyebrow and glanced at Galinda and Avaric, but both were occupied in an intense conversation about the latest play that was all the rage.

Elphaba excused herself first and headed in the direction of the bathrooms, which were partly secluded at the back of the restaurant. Fiyero followed soon after, and when she saw him, he looked quite sheepish, a determinedly different countenance than she had expected. She was looking for the frown, the scowl, the confidence, but she saw none of that. In front of her now was the Fiyero she had met months ago, not the one that glared at her and ignored her.

"Elphaba…" he croaked, and she could tell he was suddenly uncertain of what to say.

"What do you want, Fiyero?" she snapped. She was tired of his games and was ready to return to her dinner.

"I…I just wanted…Lurline, this was much easier in my head," he groaned.

"Just spit it out, Fiyero."

But he didn't say anything. Instead, his gaze bore into hers until she felt like she was melting under a heat lamp. Then, he cupped her cheek and leaned in so quickly she couldn't quite process what was happening. But her body was fully functional, even as her mind was reeling, and her lips kissed him back with abandon.

His lips were soft, softer than Elphaba had imagined. The kiss was slow and reassuring, like Fiyero knew he could take his time because there would be many to follow. Elphaba couldn't help the moan that escaped her mouth as she returned his kiss and placed her hands behind his neck, subconsciously pulling him closer. Fiyero gave his own moan in return, and suddenly his kisses weren't as innocent and soft anymore.

These were fiery kisses, kisses with a purpose and a passion that overwhelmed Elphaba and made her cling to him even more fiercely. His hands roamed from her face down her body, leaving a wake of heated skin wherever his hands touched.

She felt his body, taut and pushing into her with purpose, and she forgot about Galinda, forgot about Avaric, and just felt _Fiyero_. And it felt right. He felt right. She had to convince herself that she was attracted to Avaric, but with Fiyero, the attraction was there without her bidding. She had fought her attraction with everything that she had, but with Fiyero pressing into her and covering her in his kisses, she had a hard time remembering why.

Elphaba was lost in the moment, lost in Fiyero's touch, and didn't hear the woman come into the back corner until she cleared her throat loudly. Elphaba ripped herself from Fiyero's grip, which he didn't make any easier by holding onto her waist and trying to pull her in again. Elphaba sheepishly moved them out of the way of the ladies' restroom and didn't miss the dirty look the woman gave her.

"What are you thinking?" Elphaba whispered fiercely. Fiyero just grinned and pulled her his way again. She put two hands on his chest and pushed. "Hey! What are you doing? You ignore me for months, and then this? I don't get it, Fiyero."

He sighed and loosened his grip on her waist. "I'm sorry, I just…Elphaba, I can't get you out of my mind. I didn't mean to push you away these past few months, but I didn't trust myself to be around you without…well, without doing what I just did. And I know how you feel about hurting Galinda. Trust me, I get it. I don't want to see her hurt either. So I left you alone. I wanted you to be happy, and I thought I could be happy for you when you started dating _him_. But when I see you with Avaric…I don't know, something inside me snaps. I can't see Avaric put his hands on you and kiss you when it should be me. It should be me, Elphaba."

He inhaled deeply, quickly, after his monologue. Elphaba didn't think she had ever heard him speak with such intensity. His gaze was alive with emotion, and Elphaba wasn't sure she could decode what was there. She only knew that he appeared sincere. She _wanted_ him to be sincere. But still…it was wrong to go behind their partners' backs. Elphaba couldn't be with him like this.

"Fiyero…"

"Please…please, Elphaba, just consider _us_. I know it doesn't seem right to you, but is it right to deny this, even for the best of intentions?"

"I don't know," she whispered.

Fiyero cupped her face and stared into her eyes. "Do you love him?"

Elphaba struggled to hold his intense stare. Did she love Avaric? She had contemplated telling him, had agonized over the timing of it, but did she truly feel it in her heart? She wasn't sure. "I don't know," she whispered again, even softer than before. "Do you love Galinda?"

He winced before he answered. "No."

"What are you going to do? She's got your whole wedding practically planned out. She even asked me about the government in the Vinkus. You'll crush her."

Fiyero pulled away from her slightly and sighed. "She really does love me, doesn't she? I was hoping it would just be a phase." He sighed again, this one decidedly more frustrated. "I don't know what to do, Elphaba. All I know is that I'm done ignoring whatever it is that causes my skin to tingle whenever you're around. I'm done hiding my feelings for you. It's caused me nothing but misery, and I'm ready to be a bit more selfish with my feelings."

"Can you so easily put your feelings above the feelings of three other people?" Elphaba questioned, barely loud enough for him to hear, even in their close proximity.

He looked hurt. "You don't feel the same as I do?" He grabbed her hands in his. "You don't feel that jolt?"

"I do…"

"Then I'm putting _our_ feelings above the others. Isn't it worth it?"

"I'm not so sure." She was torn, conflicted with having what she wanted but not feeling good about taking it from someone who wanted it as well. Her eyes threatened to spill emotions that she fought hard to keep in, especially around Fiyero.

Fiyero must have seen the emotion on her face, for her pulled her into a tight embrace and rubbed her back soothingly. When they pulled apart, he kissed her fiercely. "I'm sure," he whispered, out of breath.

"Fiyero?" Galinda's voice trilled from the entrance to the darkened hallway.

They pulled away from each other, but not before Fiyero kissed her cheek and squeezed her hands reassuringly. She caught his gaze and held it while he backed away from her. He smiled shyly before turning from her.

"Dearest, are you there?" Galinda asked again, not daring to venture into the shadows alone.

"I'm here," Fiyero said, stepping into the light.

"Ah, thank goodness! I thought you and Elphie had headed back without us. Where is that girl?"

"Oh…um, I think she's in the ladies' room?"

"Oh…OK. Well, come on then. We'll wait for her back at the table." Galinda and Fiyero linked arms and weaved their way back to their seats.

Elphaba watched from the shadows. She couldn't help but feel like she betrayed both her boyfriend and her best friend. But worse than that, she felt like she betrayed herself. Because if she were going to be honest with herself, she never would've let things get so far with Avaric. If she were being true with herself, she would have told Galinda long before now how she felt about Fiyero. And if she were going to quit deceiving herself, she would march out there and tell the whole table what she was feeling.

But something held her back. Her feelings for Fiyero were intense, yes, but her feelings for Galinda trumped whatever was happening with the Prince. Because Galinda was her first friend. Galinda was the one who coached her through her first date, her first kiss. Once they had become friends, Galinda had offered nothing but love and care and devotion. And Elphaba couldn't repay that loyalty with the deepest betrayal of all. She wouldn't.

Even though she was sure her feelings for Fiyero wouldn't disappear, she couldn't sacrifice the one stable thing in her life because of a _boy_. There would be other boys; hell, there already _was_ another boy. Fiyero was having a momentary lapse in judgment. He was allured by the idea of her; he had no idea what he would be getting himself into. He liked the challenge of taming the green woman, but he didn't understand anything about what it would be like for him to be with her. He couldn't fathom the backlash it would cause for him, not only at Shiz, but also in the Vinkus. The Prince simply could not be seen with the green woman, but there was no public outcry if Avaric loved the green girl. Elphaba understood this.

And when she lay in bed that night, she went over the reasons that she and Fiyero could never be together again and again, until she felt they were properly ingrained in her subconscious. But when sleep finally took her, and she dreamed, all she could see was the Prince, all she could feel was his lips on hers, caressing and loving her in a way she hadn't understood until that night.

* * *

"Anya?" the green woman whispered. "Anya, are you awake?"

She was, but she couldn't acknowledge. The story was too long, too burdened with guilt and longing, that it suffocated Anya. Was this why Glinda wanted to execute Elphaba? But no, Avaric had told her that that wasn't true. That they had a plan…

Elphaba sighed. "Anya, come back. Don't let them win. Come back. Come back."


End file.
